Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-12

WASHINGTON, February 1.-THE Senate
to-day resumed consideration of the bill to
provide temporary government for the
Territory of Oklahoma-the pending ques-
tion being on the amendment offered yester-
day BY Mr.. Plumb to comprise No Mans
Land within the limits of the proposed Ter
ritory. Mr.. Vest argued in support of the
amendment, on the ground that these people
should have a territorial jurisdiction ex-
tended over them. He referred to the case
Of the Sioux reservation where. he said,
scenes were being enacted to-day that beg
CARED all other scenes heretofore known to
the American people in the way of opening
q new country to settlement.
FAIR COMPENSATION.
Mr.. Dawes opposed the amendment, al
though be said he agreed with the Senator
from Missouri as TO the importance and in
evitability of the Cherokee outlet becoming
soon a part of the ps0lic domain-and to
become so, not by Legislation, but by reason
able and fair compensation. That had been
the radical defect in all negotiations with
the Indians 1t had been announced within
sent to negotiate with the Cherokee Indians
that unless they accepted the proposition to
part with their lands at 81 % an acre, the
land would be taken from them; and dis
tinguished statesman had thrown out the
idea (as If it would help the negotiations)
tina, it was within the power of the United
States to condemn the land for public uses.
He added that he had also seen in a news
paper that the Secretary of the Interior had
supplemented that threat by a statement
that the Cherokees had no title at all. Mr..
Jones defended the commission. He did not
believe they had threatened the Cherokees
In any way.
THE GOVERNMENT JUSTIFIABLE.
Mr.. Plat remarked that when it became
evident that the Cherokee nation was deter
mined not to cede the land, but to hold it,
because they were backed up By cattlemen
or others, be did not believe that there was
member of the Senate or Of the House who
would not be ready to say that ii that were
the position which the Cherokee nation oc-
cupied the United States would be justified
in abrogatlng the provisions of the
treaty and taking the land.
Mr.. Teller said the Cherokees could not
be divested Of q fee title by legislative ac-
ton. He was astonished by the suggestion
OF Mr.. Platt. He realized that the lands
held by the Cherokee Indians would have
TO become the homes Of white men, but the
Indians would have to be paid what the
lands were worth. The lands in the Cher
okee outlet could be sold tomorrow, in bulk,
at s. an acre, and what right, be asked,
had the United States to say that the In
disns should part with them at price less
than their value. If the Government could
not afford to pay fair price and give away
- L. 49, -
and sell it to the settlers.
INGALLS, PLEA FOR INDIANS.
Mr.. Ingalls, opposed the amendment. The
imputations that had been cast upon the
special conditions in No Mans Land and
Oklahoma in this debate were not borne out
by history. They were not places of
refuge for convicts, criminals and male
factors. He had been surprised at the state
ments and concessions made by Mr.. Dawes
and Mr.. Plstt that it might be easy for the |
United States to take possession of the |
Cherokee Reservation; that their lands |
stood in the way of civilization.
The Senate, which represented the con- |
science and convictions of the American |
people, was told that because there was a |
ciamor for more land the Government had a |
right to say to that people that their lands |
were needed and that they had to sell them |
Tor whatever the Government saw ut to pay |
1or them.
A DEMAND FOR JUSTICE.
And when any man stood up in the Senate |
or elsewhere and demanded justice for that |
people he was taunted with the insinuation |
that he was acting in the interest of the |
cattle baron, or Of monopoly, or a ring, or |
that there was some sinister and culpable |
and corrupt motive for his action. He (Mr. |
Ingalls) protested against the propo-
sition. 1t was the enunciation of doctrine /
that shocked the moral sense of mankind. |
Such a doctrine ought not to be entertained |
in the Senate. The CherokeeS ought not to
be subjected 10 menaces and threats.
They ought to understand (and they do
understand so far as his voice could make
them do so) that they had a title to their
land and that they were not compelled to
sell at 81 25 an acre when it was worth $40.
The bill went over till tomorrow without
action on the amendment as to No Mans