The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1894-09-18
QUESTION OF FREE HOMES.

There is no question that affects
directly aud vitality so many people in
Oklahoma as that of free homes.
Every citizen is interested in 1t and
whatever may be done or looking to
that end becomes at once matter of
immediate personal concern to every
claim holder in the territory. The fol-
lowing discussion of the subject be-
tween the FL Reno Republican and
Globe will give the reader clear in
sight into the way the present status
has been brought about and from
which party relief may be hoped for
or expected
Under a Republican president, and
small majority In the senate, Oklahoma
was opened to settlement free, but when
the senate changed with an executive,
and an overwhelming congress OF the
same feather il was placed at 81 % per
acre They got a little farther In the
strlp businiss, g.. %, Al 50 and Sl.OO, sixty
six and twO-thirds cents per acre Re
publican.
We do not think that the editor of
the Republican would knowingly and
intentionally misrepresent the truth
of history but he has certainly been
led into grievous error, or perhaps
not knowing anything about the legis-
lation that mas opened this country to
settlement, he has been reading some
of the speeches of Flynn, who attri'
butes everything good to the Republi-
can party and everything evil TO the
Democratic The dates on which the
various acts of congress become laws
ah ennalnGiualu that the ahnuA
statement is incorrect and that the
very opposite Is true.
The act of congress opening origi-
nal Oklahoma To settlement, free, was
signed by Democratic president and
every subsequent act that compelled
the settlers TO pay for lands was passed
under Republican administration and
signed by a Repu president
The act of congress opening Oklaho-
ma 10 settlement became law March
., 1889, two days before the expiration
OF President Cleveland's FIRST term and
the signing of that bill was one OF his
last official acts. IL is true Harrison
issued the proclamation opening the
country, but Cleveland signed the bill
making il his duty.
The next act of congress which
opened land TO settlement in the ter
ritory was the act of February l3,
1890, ratifying the agreement made
with the Iowa, Sac and Fox tribes OF
Indians. This act provided that
Each settler shall before receiving
"A patent for his homestead, pay 20
the United States for the land SO
taken by him, in addition 70 the fees
provided by law, the sum of one dol
lar and twenty-five cents for each acre
thereof" This was the very first act
of congress since the war that com
PEELED settler to pay for government
land and this act was passed by a
Republican congress and signed by
Ben Harrison, a Republican president
The next act of congress which
compelled the settler to pay for his
land was the act of March 3, 1891,
which provided for the opening of the
Cheyenne and Arapahoe lands TO set
lement This act provided that the
settler should pay 81. so per acre for
the land, or S24O for each quarter sec
tion. This act was passed when both
houses were in the hands OF the Re
publican party and was signed by
President Harrison.
The next act of congress which
compelled the settler 10 pay for the
land was the act of March 3, 1898, rat
flying an agreement with the kieka-
poo Indians. These lands have not
yet opened 20 settlement, but II they
do open under existing laws the set
tier will be compelled TO pay 81. so per
acre This act was passed by Re
publican congress and signed by Presi-
dent Harrison.
And now we come down To the
opening of the Cherokee strip II will
be remembered that Grover Cleveland
was inaugurated for president of the
United States for the second time
March A, 1893 The Indian appropria'
tion bill provided for the opening OF
the Cherokee strip. was approved and
became law March :, 1893 The