Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-16
THE SPRINGER OKLAHOMA BILL,
Tho whole Indian Territory Should be
Included Other CritioiGms OF the
Measure.


Font WORTH TEX, Feb. 10, 1855.
To the Editor Of the Gazette.
While we sll rejoice that the Hon. Mr..
Springer, chairman of the committee on
territories in the House of Representa-
tives, has introduced bill in Congress
for the partial organization of the terri
tory OF 0klshoms, we find in the very
beginning what we consider to be grave
mistake, to-wit: That Il does not pro-
pose to include the whole of said terri
tory in said organization, on the plea of
the rights Of the Indians to the posses
sion of the Soil Snd eIf-government
under our existing treaties with them
We do not believe thst to be a justiflAbl=
cause for leaving Sny part Of said terri
tory out Of said organization for the gov
eminent Of any and all persons who are
not members Of the special bands or
tribes entitled to special selt-government
under their own special laws.
Many and varied are the relations, con-
ditions and kinds of people now existing,
sojourling, abiding In and aggressing
upon the omitted portion of ssid terri
tory, over which the special Indian gov
ernments have no Jurisdiction, and all Of
which should be under the Jurisdiction Of
the territorial government of Oklahoma,
while said territorial government should
be denied the privilege Of meddlIng with,
or trespassing upon, the rights of said
special tribal governments, until more
favorable treaties can be made with them.
Precsdents have existed almost every
n ere In the jurisdiction Of the United
Ststes TO justify such legislation. SAID
terri DRY should have power to enact laws
which would not conflict with our treA-
Ties with ssid tribes, governing the con-
duct of all Indians and other persons on
| said spe cisl reservations, or while beyond
| the limits of their own special political
| jurisdiction in said territory-s PROPOSE
| zion we be lieYe to be well founded, as it
has often been asserted BY the Hon. Mr..
Wellborn and others. in debate. that the
government Of the United States unquas-
tlonably possesses the right to charter and
sustain the building of railroads and 9th
er internal improvements, through any
and all parts OF said territory, and to con-
troll the management Of the same, includ-
ing persons and things herewith connect
ed, and We further know that the govern
ment exercises the right of suppressing
/ the liquor traffic in the whole OF said ter
IitOry, to accomplish viii n requires eX-
ecusiVe, as well as Judicial, action. How
ever, we will be glad to have any portion
Of said terri!ory organized as minor
state. Section provides for the organi-
z2tion of 2 Legislature, but denies citi-
z5ns the political right Of voting until
they have been bona fide residents slxtY
days or more, but 1t is not definitely pro-
vlded that sSid election shLll be deferred
until citizens Of the Uafted States, who
are anxious sud ready to embrace the
earliest opportunity OF securing homes in
Okl6homa, will have reasonable time to
make their locations and the necessary
legal time to qualify themselves 10 exer-
else the privilege OF voting at
said first election, while We else
where flad them debSrred by law
from entering upon the soil Of said terri
tory until specially permitted to. We
protest against special political adySn-
tage being granted to the special few who
for years have been enjoying the rich
Iickings Ct thes governments bounty in
that beautiful land, and who have sll the
while been doing everything that lay in
their power to keep it oVershadowed with
is present dsrk cloud of bsrbarism, by
Keeping out our republican form Of gov.
erDmept, liberal institutions and en-
lightened people.
Section four prov des for the settle.
ment of the strip of country known as Nc
MANS Land by actual settlers, only under
the Homestead Laws, which may be right,
but it should be definitely defined what
Is meant by said provision, IS we have
many laws which We common people
have always considered of homestead
character. First the old presumption
law, which we believe has never been,
but should be, repealed, as IL has always
been used by SPECTATORS to
secure many of the most desirable
locations by fraudulent prescriptions,
granting citizen settler the prior RICH,
to buy ut one dollar and twenty five
cents (Sl 26) per acre any psrcel of land
pot exceeding one hundred and sixty
l60) acres. Second, the regular home
lead law enacted IN 1861 or 1862, grant
! ing citizens the prior right to acquire
honesteads not exceeding one hundred
and sixty 160) acres in quantity, at {
mere nominal cost and an actual occupa-
ton OF few years. Third, the so-callet
timber clam act, granli1g citizens the
right 10 acquire title to any parcel oi
land not exceeding one hundred and sixty
tl60) acres, by planting and successfully
culuVhting forest trees for given NUN
Der OF years on specified number o
acres.
We have hesrd Of many cases in thu
northwestern states and territories IL
which the same persons have acquired
lands under the provisions OF each of tht
above named acts, sggregsttng four hun
DIR and eighty $50 acres respectively
, But we hsvs not the ability to form al
opinion IN regard to what quantity owe
AM above one hundred and sixty
tl6ol acre., il any, an aetua
settler would oe enabled to acquire undel
the provisions OF the presen. dill, there
fore We would be glad il 1t could be made
more de finite. The bill appears to de1r
itely tx the maximum quantity Of lane
that sny one citizsn may acquire IS 81 2
per acre in The countries known as tn,
Cherokee strip and other coded portion
OF okahoma proper, st leo acres, as non'
OF the old homestead laws are to apply Il
said countries. Being western man b,
birth and nearly sixty-two years old, ant
having frequently traversed much Of tn,
western country, from the coasts of Mex
leo to British America, during the pas
foriy-two years, l feel enabled to besl
! vniSnoss that IL ia mot uuisdnm IN 6iep0ur.