Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-21
SPRINGER ON OKLAHOMA.
A Comprehensive Resume of the
All-Absorbing Question.


5 The object of this convention. if l al
correctly Informed, is to give expressio
: to the sentiments of the people of tn
southwest in reference to the opening t.
settlement of that portion of the Indial
territory west of the lands occupied b
five civilized tribes. If we include VIVA
is known as Greer county, the are
which it is proposed to embaace within
the new territory of Oklahoma comprise
5000 square miles, or nearly $4,000, 90
acres-an area about the size of the stat
of Ohio. More than half OF this area
now occupied by Indian tribes undo
various treaty stipulations and depart
mental orders. That part of the pro
| posed territory, however, which i
knowd as the Cherokee Outlet, Okla
homa proper, and the public land strip
embracing eleven and half million
acres, is not occupied by Indians, ant
only small portion of it has ever beer
occupied by Indian tribes. These lands
ought to have been opened to actua
settlers under the provisions of thu
homestead law many years ago. Many
efforts have been made in congress fo
the purpose of opening these lands t.
settlement, but for some reason or othel
all efforts in that direction have up t.
this time been unsuccessful.
There is now pending in the house O
representatives, as you are all aware, q
bill to provide for the organization Of
the territory of Oklahoma. This bill
embraces within the jurisdiction of the
new terriuorysall lands occupied by the
FIVE tribes and also what is dnown as the
public land strip. While the jurisdiction
of the new territory will extend over the
| Indian tribes occupying portions of these
lands, their tribal relations and right OF
occupancy will be undisturbed and I'M
affected by the provisions of the pending
bill. But, it is believed that under the
operation Of what is known as the allot-
ment law, it will be but a short time un-
til the Indians occupying the lands
within the proposed new territory will
| take allotments, and that the lands not
occupied and required for this purpose
will also be open to settlement 1t is es-
| timated that the, surplus lands, after
Indian allOtmentS are made, will amount
to over eleven millions of acres. These
lands are well adapted to agriculture,
and will support as large population
Der acre as will lands in Kansas, Nebras-
ka and Iowa.
opening of these lands to settlement. The
| first is the complication growing out of
Indian titles; and the second comes from
cattle syndicates, who, under pretended
Indian leases, are using large areas of
these lands for grazing purposes. The
bill now pending in congress proposes am
equitable adjustment of all Indian
claims. The president is authorized to
fa mi />
agreement with the Cherokees, Creeks
and Seminoles for the purpose of secur-
ing a REIMBURSEMENT of their claims. l
will not enter at length into discussion
of the questions involved IN these Indian
discussed both in congress and elsewhere
and is perhaps familiar to all who are
now present. There will be no difficulty
in coming to agreement with the Greeks
and Seminoles in regard to what is
known as Oklahoma proper. The Indian
claims on these lands are of very shad-
owy and unsubstantial character. The
government has title already to them
in fee simple, and has paid the price
which was agreed upon at the time OF
purchase. But, the government having
declared its purpose to settle friendly
Indians upon these lands, it was
deemed equitable-the purpose Of
the government having changed. to
pay additional compensation, such COM
pensation amounting to $1.25 per acre
including the amount already paid. 1t
is mere gratuity on the pert Of the gov
eminent, and will be readily accepted by
the Indian tribes interested. The title to
what is known as the Cherokee Outlet,
embracing over 5000, 900 acres, is pecul-
iar and anomalous. No title of the kind
was ever before given to any Indian
tribe by the government, and the &C
QUESTION of this title, wherever it may
be, can form no precedent in any future
dealings with Indian tribes. In 1888,
when the government ceded these lands
in the Indian territory to the Cherokee
Nation in exchange for the lands relin-
pushed in the states where those tribes
had heretofore resided, 1000, 900 acres
were set apart for the occupancy of the
tribe: and the lands that compose what
is known as the Cherokee Outlet We're
also embraced in the deed, but as a mere
gratuity, without consideration, not for
occupany, but for the purpose of afford
ing the Indians an outlet to the hunting
grounds of the Rocky Mountains. There
was no other object in granting these
lands to the Indians. The outlet was
supposed to be necessary in order to give
a larger area for hunting purposes. The
lands embraced in the outlet were then
supposed to be of no value all
that region being set down on the
map at that time as the 'Great Ameri-
can Desert" Since the settlement of
the western territories of New Mexico,
Arizona and the state of Colorado, and
that portion Of Texas known as the Pan
Handle, the outlet in that direction
ceased to be of any value whatever to
the Indians. 1t can in no sense be re-
garded as an outlet at this time, and the
purposes of the grant have entirely
failed. Nor do the Indians use it for that
purpose now, nor have they used it for
that purpose for more than a quartar of
century. This land having been
granted for the sole purpose of an outlet,
it could not be used by the Indians for any
other purpose. 1t is mere easement or
right-of-way; and, having ceased to be
used for that purpose, it rightfully and
equitably reverts to the government. 1t
is not only not used by the Indians for
an outlet, but they now claim the right
to use it for grazing purposes; and more
than five years ago they executed lease
to the Cherokee Strip Live Stock associa-
ton allowing them to use and occuy this
land for five years at a rental of 800, 900
a year for grazing purposes. That lease
has now expired and the cattle company
are still in possession, not as tenants, but
as trespassers. The company not only
claims the right to lease and occupy
these lands, but is using all the influence
it can bring to bear for the purpose Of