Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-11-07

Secretary Noble says the Cattlemen Musi
Get Out-June . the Limit He Gives
Them.


Secretary Noble says the Cattlemen Muri
Get Out-June : the Limit no Gives
Them.
WAsnINoroN, OCT s0.-secretary
Nobla. under date OF October 2S. has
written a long letter 10 General Fair
child, chairman OF tho Cherokee Com
mission, in which nc virtually serves
notice upon the cattlemcn who have
leased land from the Indians in what is
known as the Cherokee Outlet, that
they must vacate the lands with their
property on or before the lst Of June
next, this date being fixed in order that
they may escape without injury or suf-
fering to their cattle.
Speaking OF the Cherokee Strip Live
Stock Association, the letter says:
"This corporation Is one OF the ordinary
kind, and like similar others which
have disappeared with the loss OF their
assets The assets consist in cattle in
the field, chiefly. No responsibility at
taches to the individuals composing the
corporation, and II It did, the persons
whose futures. however great they may
be to-day, arc liable 20 fluctuations at
tending all such ventures. Grazing on
such lands does not tend, according TO
the common Judgment, TO increase in
value from year to year nor benefit the
land"
Comparing the amount TO be paid by
the Government for the lands with the
rental received from the cattlemen. Sec
retary Noble says: "If the amount al
ready paid in excess Of appraised value
for lands occupied and used be de-
Quoted the amount to be paid TO the
Cherokee Nation will be S7,15s,s4 by
this exhibit, IL will be perceived, the
Cherokees will derive from the United
States the sum Of at least e, 600 900 after
deducting payments already made,
which, upon interest at 5 per cent. per
annum, would net them yearly quite
$3.50, 900 TO be paid by the United States
Government On the other hand, the
large amount to be paid for the
fifteen years commencing after the
present lease by this cattle syndicate
will, If completely effected, little ex-
ceed the amount TO be paid by the Gov
eminent, will be entirely depend
ent upon the prosperity of the syn
dicate with all the possibilities
of disease and drought and cold that
have so often devastated whole herds
over vast sections OF the country, TO say
nothing of the indisposition Of the cor
poration to pay the Indians their dues
IL II would be at a great sacrifice. or the
ability Of the Indians to enforce their
claims either within or without the
boundaries Of their outlet"
Tho Garrafarx~ that tba TragkrI
States must be sovereign within its own
territory. Its purpose is to wrong no
body and yet allow its own people to ex-
pand over the land that is theirs, and to
give 10 the Cherokee Nation a magnifi-
cent and permanent income for lands
which it already has acquired for GER
tain purposes.
The Secretary quotes from opinions of
the Supreme Court and from sections Of
the Revised Statutes which show that
the Secretary Of the Interior is author
ized 20 summarily remove from the res
ervation any persons thereon without
authority of law, or whose presence in
the judgment Of the Commissioner Of
Indian Affairs may be detrimental 10
the welfare OF the Indians.
The story of the various treaties and
laws with relation TO the Cherokee Out
let are detailed at length up to the time
Of the Cherofees leasing the lands in
1888 to the Cherokee Strip Livestock
Association. While the department did
not interfere with any arrangement, the
lease was never formally approved by
the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs. the
Secretary of the Interior or the Presi-
ident, and the department had uni
formly refused to approve any lease OF
these lands. After stating the action of
the last Administration, declaring all
leases OF these lands to cattlemen null
and void and ordering the latter out of
the country, the Secretary says that
careful consideration Of the whole sub
ject by Assistant Acknowledgement
Shields led TO the following conclusions:
First-That the lease of the Cherokee
Outlet is unlawful.
SecOnd-That the President has au-
thority 10 declare invalid any agree
ment or lease of the Outlet for grazing
purposes made contrary TO the provis-
ions of section2i16.
Third-That he may cause the re-
moyal of unauthorized persons or prop
erty from this reservation whenever
their presence is, in the Judgment Of
the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs and
the Secretary Of the Interior, 'detri-
mental TO the peace and welfare Of the
Indians, whether they claim to be on
the reservation under formal lease or
by license or permit from the Cherokee
Nation"