The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-02-10
OKLAHOMA.
The Territorial Question Coming
to the Front.
Representative Meeting ne Arkansas City,
Kan--ResolutIens Adopted - lnterest.
ing History OF the Coveted Land
of Promise.


convention in this e.ty last night 10 give
expression to the almost universal sentl-
neut in favor Of the early opening OF the
OklahuE,a ter:itory Ia settlement The
principal speeches were male by Captain
". L. Coucn. of Douglass; Colonel Croker
Of Caldwell; Judge Galloway, of Fort
Scott: =. scsninss, OF Wichita and NJ. W.
Reynolds. of Geuda Springs. The meeting
evidenced the fact that the great mass
II the people in Southern Kansas
were terribly in earnest in this matter.
Congressman who imagine that the present
movement in favor OF the legal and peace
abe occupying of the Territory emanates
frcm few adventures will find out sooner
or later that they are woefuily mistaken.
The utterances OF Kicking Bird" "That
congressman and Senators who heed not
the mighty voice OF the people might rs
well at once turn mp their Congressional
aud Senatorial toes to the daisies. for the
places that know them will know them no
more forever was checrei to the echo.
The following resolutions, addressed to
the United States Senators aud members
of Congress Of the State OF Kansas, We're
adopted:
WHEREAS. The interest now manifested In
The country at large and the attention OF Con-
Ing portions OF the Indian Territory to settle
Inent. is one of dominant importance to the
State OF Kansas and the entire Southwest. We,
the people Of Southern Kansas. in delegate con-
Sention assembled at Arkansas City, February
& do declare and resolve as follows:
First-That in the interest Of civilization and
TO meet the requirements o. the many settlers
seeking homes upon the public domain and for
the future welfare and prosperity OF the Indians
residing in certain portions OF the Indian
Territory. the Senators from kanuas
are requested and our Representatives are in
ktructed TO use all efforts in their power to Sc
cure at the earliest day possible Terri ORAL
organization and open 20 settlement all the
uncccupied lanes in the Indian Territory and
No Mans Land and all lands not needed for In
dian occupancy, substantially as contemplated
in the bill known as the Springer Bit, now pend
ing IN the House OF Representatives.
Second-That while all legal and Just rights
of the Indians should be carefully guarded and
protected. The public welfare. the lawicss con-
ditton of the Territory and the impeachment to
Interstate commerce demands prompt and
speedy action by Congress IN this matter.
Third-The secretary Of this convention is
hereby instructed to forward copies OF this
preamble and resolutions to the Senators and
members Of Congress OF the State Of Kansas.
and that it be presented to their respective
bodies
In response to a conyratula.orv telegram
from the chairman of tue committee on ar
Engagements for the Kansas City Oklahoma
conference, the convention passed the fol-
lowing resolution:
Rssescs,i That we heartily recommend tina.
ali cities and towns of the State o: Kansas send
delegates to the conference TO be held In Kansas
City FebruaryS aud supplementary thereto
this convention do cleo: five delegates at large
70 sail conference.
Tue following persons were elected: Cap
tain ". P. Couch. OF Douglass. N. W. Rey-
nolds, Of Guuda Springs, Colonel Cracker.
OF Caldwell J. S. Jennings, of Wichita,
ord Judge Galloway OF Fl Scott.
A permanent. organization was effected
70 consist OF one person from each city to
push The work by holding conventions aud
In other ways.
the PROPOSED TsRRrroRY.
KANSAS CRY, No, Feb. "A CORE
spondeut writing to the Tinsss from " ash
ington gives a few facts in relation to
OSiahoma. as follows:
The question OF organizing Territorial Gov
crnmeut for Oklahoma has become, from the
force OF circumstances, one OF the most i'm
portant issues Of National legislation. and. as a
necessary consequence OF its agitation. in
Ccirfes are made all over the country concern
ine the history OF the Oklahoma lands,
and why il is that Congress has Tot
already provided laws for its settle
ment and government-also the reason
for excluding citizens from set
Ring on these vacant lands. and for driving OF
ali who attempt 30 locate themselves there. In
orcer that the history ot Oklahoma may be
known. the following facts are presented:
Tie Indian Territory is part Of the purchase
OF Louisiana from the French Government, by
which both soil and sovereignty passed to the
he x-e.r u-1c
ananeurated by our Government system IF
establishment CT reservations toc Indian
tribes. ald which has continued Cd to the
present time. Between ISL and lsy6, by a
series OF treaties made with FIVE tribes OF
Southern Indians the Cherokees. Choc-
taws- Creeks. Chickasaws and SemiroleS the
whole OF the territory was parceled out in res
ervafions for the occupancy Of those tribes.
These reservations were received in exchange
for land, east Of the Mississippi held by them
In Ike r'anner by treaty, as reservations AZ the
lime Of the exchange. The Cherokee lands
ceoed TO the United States were In the east
eru PORTION of Tennessee the western part Of
tie Cs-oltnas ard Northern Georgia.
By the treaties OF lssS and 1888 the Chero-
kees received in exchange the lands in the
present Indian Territory lying east and north
OF the Arkansas river and extending along the
northern boundary west OF the Arkansas 70
the looth meridian embracing al area Of
$500 square miles. Tue Clcctavs ceded
lands. situated principally in Alabana and
The Caickasaws. lands IN Southwestern Ten
uessee and Northern Mississippi and b.
lresiy OF 1880 with the Choctaws and Isss
with TIE Chicsasaws, modified somewhat By
definite joint treaty with both in 1850 received
In exchange the portion Of the Indian Terri
rory lying south OF the Arkansas and the main
Canadian rivers the title being declared by
the last treaty to be joint between the two
tribes, but the Caoctaws 10 occupy severaIly the
eastern and the Chic1asaws the western por-
nca- This reservation was about 32,UO square
miles IN extent
The Creeks. by trea.ie OF les and lS3a
eeaed lands principally il the State OF Geo--
GA and received in exchange that portion of
The 1a6ial Territory lying along aad north OF
the Canadian rver. bounded on the north and |
east by the Cherokee reservation and On the |
south by that OF the Chocraws and Chicka- |
Jaws. embracing about is,0p square miles |
These tribes. in accordance with provisions |
In these treaties, eeGed to the Seminoles |
tribe closely allied to them and formerly oc- !
cupyIng Southern Georgia and Northern |
Florida the western portion OF the above
described reservation. the boundary between |
Them being fixed by treaty OF lS55. Fear the |
With meridian Next the Missouri line in the |
northeast corner OF the terrlto-y reserra-
lions o. small extent were granted in exchange |
To- Indian lands II Ohio TO three remnants of /
tribes. As follows: Senecas, by treaty Of 1871. /
about 80 square niles; Shawnees and Senecas |
treaty OF ISL about $40 square miles and Qua |
PAWS. treaty Of IsSl about $50 square niles. |
These reservations covered the whole Of what /
Is now the Indian Territory, embracing an area |
Of loo square miles
The limits Of these reservations remained |
substantially unchanged until is5G IN which year,
owing TO the participation OF some OF these |
tribes in the late rebellion new treaties we're |
made with Ill tie principal tribes, changing /
materially the boundaries Of several OF the 1
The Cnoctavs and Chiclasavs