The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-03-24
ANOTHER BILL.
That Part of the Curtis Bill Bearing on
TownsItes For the Indian Territory
Not What We Want.

The ARDMoREITE today received
a ccpy of a bill introduced in the
house by Congressman Curtis, of
Kansas, "for the protection of the
people of the Indian Territory, ex-
tending the jurisdiction of the United
States courts, providing for the lay
ing out of towns, the leasing of coal
and other mineral, timber, farming
and grazing lands and for other pur-
poses"
From the heading it would appear
that it was Il measure having a high
ly desirable object in view, but a
careful reading of the bill convinces
US that it is not the thing we want.
Especially is the townsite feature OBJ
iectionable IL the manner prescribed
for the appointment of commission
ers and the authority conferred upon
them. 1t is alright for the secretary
of the Interior and the respective
executive officers of the five nations
to appoint one each ofthese commits
sioners, but when it comes to Judge
Parker of the Fort Smith court, nam
ing the third one, we object. The
people of the towns of the Indian
Territory certainly have a right to
have their claims represented by one
man on that board, who is acquair-
ted thoroughly with the conditions
and who lives among them. The
great length of the bill precludes its
publication in full, but we give that
portion which bears on the townsite
proposition and which is by sections
as follows:
SEC. 10. That there is hereby Gre
ated board of commissioners COM
posed of three members, to be known
and styled "townsitt commissioners
for the Indian Territory" one of
whom shall be appointed by the sec
retary of the interior and shall not
be resident of any state or terrific
ry adjoining tae territory now occu-
pied by the FIVE civilized tribes, one
by the Judge OF the United States
court held at Fort Smith, Arkansas,
and one by the principal chief or
governor of the nation in whose
territory the towns or townsites to
bt adjusted as hereinafter provided
are located.
SEC. l.! That each of said com
missioners shall, before entering up
on the discharge of his duties, take
an oath to support the constitution
of the United States and to honestly,
impartially, and faithfully, discharge
the duties of the Office upon which
he is about TO enter; they shall elect
one of their number chairman, and
appoint a clerk, surveyor, and such
other employees as in their judg-
ments will be necessary from time to
time to carry out the provisions of
this act
SEC. y That after the consent of
either one of tae five civilized tribes,
to wit, Cherokees, Choctaws, Chick
asaws, Creeks, and SemiEoles, shall
be given by the act of the national
council or legislature of such Tribe
or nation to the provision of this
act, said board, upon the petition OF
fifty persons or more of any town or
village containing two hundred or
more inhabitants located within the
territorial limits of such tribe or ma
ton s. consenting, shall proceed to
such town and by well defined metes
and toLnds mark the exterior lines of
such town, giving sufficient territory
for th9 reasonable growth of such
town. anl have the same carefully
plated in the usual mode of laying
on towns, having proper regard for
the present location and formation
OF the same; and when so plated in
to lots, blocks, and squares, streets
and alleys, said board shall then
cause all the lots therein described