Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-12-18
sTHE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
A Careful Report of Everything
Being Made Public.
TAnlEoUAn. Dec. Is. lSg0


Tuesday, Dec. 9.-At the open.
ing of the session bill was pre-
sented by Senator Ross to take
$50 600 Of the per capita fund and
apply it on the public debt. III
support of the bill Mr.. Ross spoke
at length and said it was neither
business or wisdom to divide an
estate and leave out the creditors
He thought the first thing to be
done was to redeem the pledges
and honor of the nation and IN
conclusion said he knew no people
to respond quicker to the honor OF
their country than the Cherokees.
Bell and Gray opposed the meas
nre and said those who held the
obligations of the nation bought
and took chances in the purchase
by big discount to protect them.
selves. Mr. Ross allowed that
'it is no indication of good stand
ing for an individual or a govern
ment to have its plighted faith
going at a large discount. !" Mr.
Gray moved TO amend by striking
out the $50, 600 which carried. Mr.
Teehee tried to get in an amend
ment to borrow S35, 900 of the
same fund and he failed, so the
matter has not been touched since.
Wednesday, 10th.-The five
senators ON the commission were
in continual session with the u
S. commission and some other
senators absent at home, SO the
senate was unable to get a quorum
during the day; the lower house
has nothing to DO as the business
goes through the senate to it.
Thursday, th.-Little was
done; reports of several of the
committees revising the census
rolls were received, as only two Of
these committees reported during
the regular session. This has
been a tedious job, for the law re.
quired them to go over every
name, carefully, on each rcli.
Some have not reported yet.
Friday, 12lh.-In reply TO
EesolHtion of inquiry from the SEN
ate the treasurer sent to them
statement Of leases given west OF
96 , and the purposes Of each. A
large portion of that country has
been leased for salt, coal, copper.
zinc, stone, etc, but it seems little
work has been done and but
little paid.
Mr. Ross presented a resolution
requiring the chief to furnish in
formation as to the character and
good faith Of the bids for tie strip
he has lately received by tel
egraph, viz, $40, 100000. $50. COO
600 and $50, ,00O,OO0, and said
while it had come to the negoii-
ating commissions in an unofficial
and unauthorized way, il was no.
torious talk. lie with all the
others on the commission desired
to get the biggest possible price
for the strip; he with them did
not want to suffer under the i'm
putation Of having offered to sell
the strip for a less price than had
been offered. The resolution was
promptly passed and a copy sent
TO the chief, but nothing has been
heard from it.
1t seems that nothing can be
done here without assuming
political character. It's said pub.
licly on the streets that this a DO.
htical trick. Tie bulk Of the
Cherokee commission being oppo-
nents Of the present adminis-
tration they have differed from the
start being six in favor Of a sale
at a fair price and other consider
ations, and three, Tehee, Downing
and Wickliif. have from thes tart
demanded a price that cannot be
expected. Hence it is said that
with these three and these siupen-
dous bids they will hamper the
commission, prevent a trade and
have as a campaign document next
summer that they prevented a
great catastrophe and saved the
people millions Of dollars which