The morning news., 1889-03-29

Oklahoma will soon be open to settlers.
At noon on April %, according to the Presi-
dents proclamation, the lands of the sec
tion Of ccu0try within the limits indicated
in the proclamation can be occupied by
complying with the laws governing the
public domain. 1t is probable that there
are enough boomers" on the borders of
Kansas, Missouri. Arkansas and Texas to
occupy the best of all the lands which will
be open TO settlement. They have been
gathering in those localities for many
months, and their number is steadily in
creasing. Some Of the n have been waiting
to get farms in Oklahoma for Years. They
have been driven out of tho Indian terri
tory several times, but they have never
been discouraged. They have felt certain
that if they waited they woull fl lally
succeed in tLeir object. In 1880 Capt.
Payne and a large number of followers
reached Oklahoma, and announced their
purpose to remain there. They were re-
moved, after a great deal Of trouble by the
troops. In 1884 Capt. Payne died, and
Capt. Couch became the leader of the
boomers" Under him they made raid
hPOli tLO AOIDiAsAell AdLh5 III 1861 II " a.
unsuccessful, cad the "boomers" scattered
through Kansas, and stirred up great deal
of feeling against congress by means of
Indignation meetings and articles in the
newspapers. Finally, they succeeded in
getting congress to pay some attention to
their demands, and last winter
the Springer bin, to organize the
territory of Oklahoma, was introduced into
the House and passed by that body. 1t was,
however, defeated in the Senate. While it
was under discussion there was another
movement into the territory. 1t was
checked. however, and the "boomers" were
driven back to Kansas
Toward the latter part of the last session
it was decided to open part Of the Indian
territory for settlement, but only very
small part. The Springer bill provided for
the opening Of region of country contain
tanning %, 100000 acres, and arranged for
a territorial government. What congress
did was to add an amendment to the Indian
appropriation bill, which permits settlers
to occupy that part of tho
Indian territory known as Okla
homa, and which contains 1887, 800
acres, and reservation which was OBJ
tained years ago from the Seminole and
creek Indians for the use of freedmen who
had been slaves of Indians, and which con-
tains about 1900, 900 acres. The extent OF
country that will be open to settlers on
April % therefore contains something over
100000 acres.
From all accounts it is a rich and beauti-
full country. 1t is well watered and has a
fire climate. 1t will be settled and deve-
oped with remarkable rapidly. l. is safe
to say that it VIII soon he an organized
territory, and that its limits will he grad
ually extended until they include the
greater part Of what is now the Iniiau ter.
ritory. Before many years it will bs de-
manding admission TO the union as a sta e.
The legislation by which Oklahoma was
opened to settlers was hasty and crude
Some provision for the government of the
new country ought to have been provided.
Until there is a regularly organized terri
torial government Oklahoma is likely TO be
the scene of great deal of lawlessness.