Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-03-02
THE Cherokee BILL.
Mr. Peel Tells Congress OF the Hard Figl
He Has Made to Pass the Bill, Which L
is afraid VIII Pail

MIR. Peel Tells Congress OF the Hard Fight
He Has Made to Pass the Bhl. Which He
is afraid VIII Pail
WASHINGTON. Feb. a3.-When the In
dian appropriation bill was reached n
the house yesterday Chairman Peel, N
speaking on the bill, took advantage
of an opportunity to get IN a few very
plain statements concerning the Cher
okee strip bill, the condition of which
is becoming more and more critical He
went over the entire history of the
claim the Cherobees have to the strip
and the negotiations on the part of the,
government and the Cherol1ees leading
up to the present agreement He then
referred to the question as follows:
Early in the beginning of this congress 1 in
troduced u bull 10 ratsfy that contract 1t pro-
TideS, as have shown. for the ceSSion OF this
land to the United States government 1T the
price specified. but limits the option. SO 10
speak, of the government until the 18th OF Narch
next introduced n bill ratifying the contract
10 open these lands 70 millions OF people for
settlement
1t promptly referred TO the committee
on Indian affairs at the last session Of congress
did not press its consideration particularly
neither was il the desire OF the committee on
Indian affairs 10 press it then II carried
large appropriation. and, is well known 70
this house, II was not the policy OF the majority
OF the house during the last session TO increase
Iutely necessary to defray the public expenses.
| conferred freely with the authorities tnatI
! thought had control of the appropriations, and
while it an expressed agree rnenr yet
1t was formally implied and understood that &
the bill WAS not pressed for the ratification Of
that session there would be objection 10 its
enactment at the present session Believing
this, Mr. ChairInan-for I believed Il and be
Eeved Il and believed Il firInly-I Yielded nv
views temporarily
When CONTRASTING my district, which borders
almost on this country, this being a great Ques-
/ ton before the people there, assured them
There would be no opposition 10 Ise To ti1caiion
/ OF the contract AT this session of congress and
! that before springtime comes We would have
! the lands opened TO the honest houlcseelzer
who desired 10 obtain before it was eve-last-
ingly too late i little land hich he could call
his own and on which 10 rear his famil in his
/ own wav- fully believed that this would be
! the result
Little did I believe, M Chairman. when
came back TO this short session Of congress and
an agreement made 10 ratify this agree
ment to give homes to 81, GOD people, carving
with it, Notwithstanding that IL involved a
! large appropriation provisions in the bill that
! these lands should be sold 70 the settlers al
$3.50, Il 80, or 81 acre according 10 quality,
which would bring into the treasury about s10-
100000 in return for the purchase money rein-
bursting the government in short time, that
there was TO be persistent opposition but
TO nv establishment sir, am met with stern
opposition in consequence of the appropriation.
When the committee on rules gave This com
ruittee 4 CAV went into committee of The
whole on this bill We had to accept the modi-
fcatiOnS from the DISTINGUISHED gentleman
from Indiana (Holman). chairman of the COM
mittee appropriations, and defer the appro-
priations for some six years. paying some > per
cent interest the same 1t passed the house
and felt much gratified and believed then that
we would be able TO succeed
It promptly passed the senate but the senate
saw proper to place certain amendments upon
that bill ratifying agreements concerning two
or three small reservations which lie in the
northeast corner of this large piece of country,
which increased the appropriation They asked
for a conference. and when the bill came TO the
speakers table Of this house, where hoped 10
get vote non-concur in the senate amend
meuts and agree 10 the conference, to make It
possible that this 1egiSla ton should be con
clUded before the contract was forfeited, and
save this country for the people who desire il
for homes. was met with the ruling that il had
TO 50 TO the committee OF the whole
1t went to the committee of the whole. and
am sorry TO say 1t Is in the committee Of the
whole yet and viii possibly remain there until
the close of this congress. If 50, this contract
is gone When we viii get another contract
with these Cherolzees If they are trifled - ith
in this way, am not prepared to say It's
true the government can take the land by force.
They are not strong enough 10 make fear
their guns nor have they any ballot BIZ which
they make afraid Of their votes I hope,
however, Mr.. Chairman, that the time Will
never come when the congress Of III United
States viii pass a measure to lay its strong
hand upon that territory that belongs TO help
less people who have patent from the govern
ment without their consent