New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-20
OELAHOMA.


one day become State almost as large as
Ohio, is an event OF considerable importance.
The Oklahoma bill has still to pass the Senate
but it has been favorably reported from the
Committee on Territories, and it is likely that
the pressure Of Western opinion in its favor
will carry it through, unless the minority Of
the committee, MeSsrs. Platt and Butler, who
contend that it dsregards Indian rights, should
be able to turn the tide against it until ii can
be improved 1t need hardly be said that this
is q point which should be considered with
Jealous care. The march Of Western progress
is well-nigh irresistible, but it should not be
allowed to override the rights Of those whose
weakness gives them special claim upon the
protection of a great Nation.
The name of Oklahoma will figure one Of
these days in the galaxy of States. So let us
be thankful to begin with, for a name which
not only means beautiful land" but is beauti-
full in itself The proposed new Territory may
be described roughly as the western half Of
the Indian Territory. The eastern half is
occupied by the five civilized tribes, the
Cherokees Creeks, Seminoles Choctaws and
Chickasaws, and will no doubt one day be
thrown open to settlers, with the consent Of
these tribes, and eventually take its place also
among the States. In the whole Of the Indian
Territory as it is to-day there is a population
Of about 10000, for whose occupancy there
are thus reserved more than "A 900, 600 acres
Of land most Of it good, thus giving more than
500 acres to every man, woman and child in
the tribes. II is not conceivable that some
way will not be found to open this promised
land to the white race, and it is entirely feas-
ible to do so in such a way as to confer vast
benefit upon the Indians.
The bulk of the Indian population is com
prised among the FIVE civilized tribes in the
eastern half Of the Indian Territory. In the
new Territory Of Oklahoma there are about
$4,000 Indians, remnants Of seventeen tribes,
to whom it is proposed TO assign lands in
severalty. But the new Territory will take in
also an anomalous young Commonwealth,
known as No Mans Land, which has the rare
distinction Of having no government Of any
sort save that provided by the common consent
Of its 1000 people, over which the United
States exercises no supervision. and which has
no law but lynch law. When tho northern
boundary Of Texas, and later the southern
boundary OF Kansas were fixed, this strip Of
land, containing 1900, 600 acres, was left out
and has remained out TO this day. Adding this
to the section proposed to be cut of from In
dian Territory, Oklahoma will contain 23,-
267 ,719 acres, mostly fertile land, with mild
and eQuabe climate, and offering every in
duccment to the settler.
II would take volume 10 state in detail
the controversy over the legal title to the yari-
Gus tracts which 1t is now proposed to open TO
settlement. These questions were not regard
ed with much patience by the pushing frontiers
man, who saw promised land lying before
him. almost untenanted, and from which he
was held back by the invisible barriers OF the
law, typified, however, by the visible bayonets
Of United States troops. For up 10 this time
the Government has succeeded in keeping back
the growing army Of boomers" who have
been lowering about the border for years
anxious to be the first to cross it and take pos
session. Along both the Texas and Kansas
borders are temporary communities, numbering
thousands of persons, awaiting the hour when
they can break up and pour over the line
1t is predicted that within month after Okla
homa is opened to settlement, il will have
population Of over 100000. The news Of the
passage OF the bill by the House filed all this
region with wild JOY, and great efforts had to
be made TO prevent an immediate invasion.
This is picturesque and interesting situation
We are beginning by this time to think the
United States almost an old country, but here
VIC are reminded that we have almost in the
centre Of its territory vast tract OF virgin
soil awaiting the explorer and settler.