Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-25
THE OKLAHOMA LANDS.
Secretary Smiths Relatives Not Interested. Statement Showing Imports From Great
 Britain for the Past Five Years

Washington, Dec. 24.-Secretary Hoke Smith sent to the house today a reply to a resolution introduced by Delegate Flynn of Oklahoma and adopted by the house, calling for information relating to the allotment of the Wichita Indian lands in Oklahoma. Replying to the sec ton of the resolution as to the cause of the delay in opening the lands to settle ment, the secretary says that the matter of the ownership of the lands is not yet definitely settled, and he is of the opinion that it would be unwiSe to throw these lands open to settlement while the claims of the Choctaws and Chickasaws are un- settled. It is unnecessary he says, to dis cuss the serious complications which might arise involving the settlers the Indians and the government by such &C., tion. Replying to that part of the reso- lution asking if any of Secretary Smiths relatives are interested in delaying the opening of the lands to settlement Sec retary Smith says:
 "One of the counsel for the Wichtas in the litigation is the husband of the second cousin of my wife. It will be seen that the compensation of this counsel is to be a percentage of the money derived from the sale of the surplus land in case it is decided that the ,octaws and Chickasaws have no reversionary inter- est In those lands. I am not aware Of any interest which the counsel of the Wiehitas can have iii delaying the allot- ment and sale of the surplus lands. Neither has ever suggested an interest or desire on their part or their clients part for delay. No connection or rela- ton by blood or marriage of mine is act ing as attorney for any party or parties interested in delaying the opening of these lands to settlement. No party or parties have presented to the interior de- ot. ion fn he. frtn or-d immediate execution of the act of March 2, 1895, which provided for the opening of the lands"
 Representative Meyer of Louisiana this morning received telegram from John Murphy. president of the Louisiana sugar exchange at New Orleans, inquir- ing as to the action of the ways and means committee with reference to an in- creased duty on sugar. MT. Meyer re- piled that the committee had not as yet considered that schedule. but that he would inform him officially when con- clusion was reached. A member of the committee stated this morning that in his opinion the sugar schedule would be passed without action.
 Tn response to senate resolution the secretary of the treasury this morning sent to the senate a statement showing, during the five years and for the whole period. the gross amount of the imports from ports of Great Britain and her col onieS and dependencies, together with the amount of the exports to such ports.
 The totals for the whole period of five years are. as follows:
 United kingdom, imports $500 $40. 150, exports $2,1S4 ,04S, ,634; Bermuda imports $2, ,222, 463. exports $3,620,675; British Hon. duras. imports $902.554, exports $2,065, 769 Canada. including Nova Scotia. New Brunswick, Quebec. Ontario British Co., lumbia, etc, imports $l791S4,6S2, exports $237, ,760, ,759; Newfoundland and I.abra- dor imports $2,103627. exports $7.492, 4S3; British West Indies, imports s67 ,556, ,433, exports $42, ,230.4 .435 British Guiana, inn ports s21, ,O2l, ,262, exports s9913,067; Brit ish India and East Indies. imports $11O,- 194.3 .324, exports $1S.410,214; Hong Kong, imports $3,S73,6 ,663, exports $22,342, ,2S5; British Australia, imports 3O,635. .9SS, ex- ports $49,47 ,244; British Africa, imports $3, ,732, ,575, exports s19,4s2,S24 all other British, including Alden, Falkland Is- lands, Malta, etc., imports S9.319,5S2 ex- ports S2 S04 06O