The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1894-12-07
GOVERNMENT FOR THE FIVE
CIVILIZED TRIBES.
SENATOR BERRY'S NEW INDIAN BILL.
Complete Territorial Government
scheme Proposed, Based Mostly On
Arkansas Laws-Lands Held by
the indians to BE Divided la
SeVeralty Residue to he
Sold aud Divided.

WASHINGTON, Dec. G-The bill in
troduced in the senate yesterday by
senator Berry. to provide a temper
airy government for the portion Of the
Indian territory occupied by the five
civilized tribes provides that a terri
tory shall be formed TO be known as
the territory of Indianola. Among
the first provisions made is one to the
effect that any time in the future the
boundaries may be changed or any
portion attached to any other
state or territory 10y the action
of congress without securing tie
consent of the inha bitants of the new
territory. The bill provides for a
governor and a secretary for the ter
ritory, a delegate to congress and
legislative asse mbly, the latter TO be
composed of a council and house of
representatives, the council TO consist
of twenty one members and the house
Of forty-two the sessions TO be held
biennially and to continue for sixty
days. The territory is to be divided
into twenty-one counties.
All male citizens of the United States
who are actual residents and over .
years of age are TO have the right to
are citizens of any tribe in the terri
tory. 1t is provided that no law shall
be passed by the legislature interfer-
ing with the primary disposal of the
soil or with the titles of the Indians
of the various tribes or their manner
of holding the same. Indian home
steads are made inalienable and are
exempted from taxation,
The bill provides for a complete iu-
dicial system, and adopts a large
number of the laws of the state of
Arkansas. All provisions of treaties
heretofore made by the United states
with the civilized tribes except so
far as the treaties relate to land
titles, are abrogated and repealed,
and ali governments established by
the tribes abolished. The lands now
held in common by the several tribes
are 10 be divided in severalty among
the members Of the tribes, each To
have homestead Of 100 acres, and
after this division the residue is to be
sold and the proceeds to be divided
among the Indians.
The twenty-One counties provide Il
an the bill are TO be numbered until
the first general election, when the
people shall vote on the names The
couuty-seats AS at present fixed are
South McAlester, Atuka, oak Lodge,
Talihus. WheelocS, Antlers, Tish
omingo, Stonewall, Ardmore, Wynne'
wood Duncan, Chickasha, Nowata
Claremont Tahlequah, Muldrow
Muskogee, Sapulpa, Wewoka anC
Checota.
The town of South McAlester il
made the capital of the new territory
The United States attorney AM
United states marshal shall each re
ccive -, 900 per year, the clerk of th'
supreme court $4,000 per year, an'
the clerks of the district courts, 81,
500. the governor, - 900; the chic
justices and associate justices, So
each and the secretary, s., 500; tn
members Of the legislature to receiv
~1 per day; - 500 To be appropriate
TO dcfray the contingent expenses O
the governor.
Five years Imprisonment and so
fine is provided for anyone iutroduc
iur mtovicauts into the territory.
Valuable Information
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