Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1891-02-06
The CHEROKEE STRIP.

Mass Convention at ArkaAaas City In Favos
OF Opening the Outlet - Resolationa
Adopted.
Arkansas CITY, Kan, Jan. S0.-The
Cherokee Strip mass convention held
here yesterday was the largest Assem-.
bly, of the kind ever seen on the border.
1t was not in any sense q boomer con-
vention, for it was almost entirely com.
posed of earnest, practical business men
and farmers
Among the distinguished people
present were Governor George w.
Steele of Oklahoma, Hon. j. S. Emery
of Lawrence, Congressmen-electS imp-
son and Clover of this State, Hon. W.
ii. Clements of Wichita and Hon. Oscar
johnson of Mcpherson, who was repre-.
senting colony of Swedes nun ber;ng
several hundred Delegations were
present from Wichita, Newton, Law
renee, Anthony, Copeland, Caldwell,
Medicine Lodge. Winfield, Kingfisher,
Purcell, Oklahoma City, Guthrie and
many other places.
Mayor Clements, of Wichita, was
chosen chairman and Prof. d. z. Bovd
secretary.
Judge Emery, OF Lawrence, made tho
opening address and spoke at some
length on the Indian and land questions.
Governor Steele, of Oklahoma, fol-
lowed with a short address, telling of
the progress of Oklahoma and of the
need of more lands for settlers.
Hon Jerry Simpson, of Medicine
Lodge, was next introduced and made
the most eloquent speech of the day.
He handled the question of Indian lands
without socks and assured all that
when in Congress he would always be
found worA ing for the homesteader and
settler.
Hon. b. II. Clover, of Cambridge,
made a short address.
A strong memorial to Congress, q
part of which is rs follows, was pre-
sented to the commit ee and unanimous
ly adopted by the conventions:
Whereas, The lands commonly known rs
the Cherokee Outlet, lying Immediately
south of the State OF Kansas, comprising
over 60OO,g0) acres of unOccupied land, are
needed by the people of the United States
for homes and
the Cherokee Nation rs an outlet, but have
been abandoned and by treaty stipulation
have reverted to the use of the United States.
and
Whereas, These lands have been Illegally
leased and never officially approved for sew
eral years to gigantic mountaineering syn
dicates of cattle kings by the Cherokee Ma
ton thus destroying the home industry OF
cattle raising by the taxpayins farmers OF
4 ba Stataa
Whereas, The United States Govern
mcnt has appropriated many millions OF
acres of public land to railroads and other
corporations, justice demands that this rem
nant of land should be given to actual set
tiers whereon to build American homes and
Whereas. The American Congress has ap-
propriated millions of dollars to improve the
deep harbors of the gulf the withholding OF
this large domain OF public lands for civil
liked and white settlement will detract
largely from the benefit OF said apprOpria-
tions; therefore. be it
Resolved. First-That we heartily indOrse
the NJ ,nsur and Perkins bill.
SecOnd-That we request the Kansas and
Oklahoma delegation and our friends In
Congress to make determined fight and
use every honorable effort to have this Out
let opened.
Third-That unless the Cherokee Nation
Immediately accepts the offer of the Com
missioners appointed under the act of March
2. 1853, that Congress fails TO pass the
Mansur bill a similar one, then we call
upon the President of the United States, II
it lie found legal to do SO, to proclaim the
Outlet open to settlement and thus relieve
the distress of thousands OF hOmcscekers
who are camped upon the borders and il
permitted to enter now would be able TO
make n crop this year.
Fourth-T',at we protest against an organ
lied raid upon said lands and call upon all
law abiding people now waiting upon the
borders to not forfeit their homestead rights
by joining an unlawful organization to take
possession of these lands.
Fifth-That we earnestly urge Congress to
ratify and confirm the agreements made
with the citizen band OF POttawatomic Indi-
ans, the absentee Shawnee Indians, the
Cheyenne and ArapahOe Indians, the Sac and
Fox Indians and the Iowa Indians in Okla
homa Territory. and to make appropriations
for carrying the same into effect and for
other purposes.
Sixth-That it is the sense OF this mass meet
ing that the immediate passage of the Man.
sur or Perkins bill, will, by connecting us
with civilization in the Territory, cement the
bond of friendship between the Southern
and Western States and turn commerce to
its proper channel upon the Southern sea-
coast.
scvcnth-That a copy Of these resolutions
be transm tied by the secretary Of this meet !
ing to the President of the United States, the |
of the Interior. Hon. c. II. Mansur
and the Kansas and Oklahoma delegations