Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-12-15

"There was great deal of talk by MI.
Springer, Mr.. Weaver and others at tho 10
cent Wichita meeting, to the effect that the
opening of the territory was being delayed
by parties who hold leases on the lands. Inc
resolution is intended to show how extern
sive the leases are, and how far the admls-
tration has gone to approve them. II sucn
influence as alleged are operating to hinder
the opening of the territory, we want to
know Just what they are and to what extent
they have the administrations Endorsement.
You recoIlect that quite early in this admint
istration Mr.. Garland gave an opinion tnat
the Indian Territory leases were mega! ana
President Cleveland issued his order giving
the cattiemen only forty days IN wnlcn 70
get out, causing considerable hardship ana
loss in certain parts of the territory. Inc
supreme court decided that the Cheorkees
had q clear title to their outlet strip, ana
therefore could lease. But there are other
leases. how many or of what extent am
not informed. Under the resolution the
secretary will report what the leases are.
VINO hold them ard what the adm1nlstra-
tions present attitude is toward these leases.
The resolution calls for information not
only about the grazing leases, but also ABOUT
the coal land and all other leases"
This is all Senator Plumb says in e1pla-
nation of his resolution. From other
sources it is learned that full reply from
the secretary will show surprising state OF
affairs regarding the Indian Territory PRIV
leges, or leases, as they are called. The ad-
mInistration has veered around, and now
occupies very different position from that
high moral plane occupied when the cele-
brated forty days proclamation to the cat
tlemen was issued. Leases of great value to
the holders, and for which the Indians get q
shamefully inadequate compensation. are on
the record at the interior department. as ap-
proved by the government. Perhaps the
most notable of all are those which relate to
the coal lands. It is stated unoficlaliy that
Mr.. Jay Gould and others hold under lease
all of the coal lands in the Choctaw and
Chickasaw country, and that they enjoy the
tremendous monopoly under contracts ap-
proved by the interior department, the
terms of which are, that they pay the In
dams 80 royalty on the coal mined.
Governor Brockmeyer of Missouri, spent
the most of last winter and the winter be-
fore in Washington. and the story is now
told that his business here was to fix up the
details of these contracts. There are petro.
leum land leases and salt land leases as well
as the coal and grazing land leases, but the
entire history of the administration g rela-
tionship to the leases will not be drawn out
by the resolution. The secretary will hardly
tell the senate that Mr.. Abram s. Hewitt's
open and avowed antagonism to President
Cleveland dates back to the forty days or
der. That is said to be fact. Mr.. Hewitt
and friends of his were interested heavily in
the grazing privileges covered by the order
of expulsion. Mr.. Hewitt was then a MEM
Der of congress. He argued and protested
against the order, but in vain. Afterward,
when he saw the administration reverse its
position on the Indian Territory lease ques-
ton, his antagonism grew rather than
abated. He never forgave Mr.. Cleveland.
The Indian Territory proclamation had
more to do with the recent democratic COM
plications in New York city aud the cleo
toms result there than the public generally
knows"