The morning news., 1889-04-14
More Home.seekers Than Homes.

| More Homeseekers Than Homes.
The Washington authorities are beginning
! 10 think that there will be trouble in
! Oklahoma about April %, the date OF the
| opening of the territory for settlement. The
reports from the southern border Of Kansas
and the southwestern border of Missouri
and the western border of Arkansas are to
| the effect that there is a movement toward
| Oklahoma such as has never before been
known in this country.
| The commissioner of the general land
office says that the information he has is
that at least 100000 people will have en-
tered the territory within thirty days after
it is opened. In the whole of Oklahoma
there are only 10000 homesteads, and
it Is therefore impossible for half of
those who want homesteals to get them.
| Toe fact also must not be overlooked that
at least third Of the territory is wholly
unfit for agricultural purposes. There are
not more than Z, 900 really valuable home
steads, and for these there is going to be
scramble. II there are good many little
battles in which lives are sacrificed it will
not be at all surprising.
The opinion is gaining ground that the
| President made mistake in his proclama
ton in excluding everybody from the terri
tory until April %. There are thousands
| Of men with their families who have been
waiting for years on the Kansas border for
| the opening Of the new lands to settlement,
and they are so poor that they haven't the
means to secure quick transportation to
| the claims they have staked out in their Sc
| cret visits TO Oklahoma Tho consequence
will be that land sharks and SPECTATORS,
| having plenty Of money, will reach the
| territory quickly by means Of the railroads,
or on swift horses, and grab and hold the
claims. In these cases there is bound to be
trouble, and probably Of very serious kind.
The commissione' Of general land office
is trying to hurry up the commissioners
| who are to negotiate with the Indians for
the tract Of land between Kansas aad Okla
homa, known as the Cherokee strip, so that
| it can be opened for settlement at an early
day. II this strip is not opened it is a ques-
ton what is to become of the thousands who
| will not be able to get homesteads in Okla
| homa. They haven't the means to return
TO their homes which they abandoned, and
1 ~ 10 uoclosS LDE IubHl W W
them, because they have sold them and used
the moaey in getting to Oklahoma. Some
Of them are from Oregon, California and
Colorado. In fact, among them are to be
found representatives of about every state
in the union.
No doubt thousands of them will squat on
the lands Of the Indians and thus create a
new source Of trouble The Indians are
very jealous Of their rights, and would not
hesitate moment to pursue course that
would result in bloodshed. The govern
ment is trying to provi ie against the occ1-
patton of Indian lands by instructing the
troops to compel those who cannot be ac-
commodated in Oklahoma to return to
| Kansas.
The situation with respect to Oklahoma
daily becomes more complicated, and it
will require careful manage nent by the
federal authorities t. prevent. bloody con-
fiicts among the settlers, aud troublesome
questions with the Indians