The Van Buren press., 1896-02-29
Indian Question.

w A5hlAt4 ON EtD. 1t - L uc deItItiou
OF Congress is now partially centered
upon tine solution Of the Indian Terri
tory question which it is safe to say is
one of the knottiest with which it will
have to deal. 1t is made more difficult
by the almost dense ignorance that pre-
walls among the Northern and Eastern
members as to the real status of affairs
and the relations of individuals in the
Territory. There are those who look
only at the sentimental side of the ques-
ton and insist upon strict compliance
with the provisions of the treaties let
the result be what it may and there
are those who go to the opposite extreme
and think that the sooner the Indian is
| legislated out of existence the better it
will be for the peace and comfort of
both Congress and the people.
Messrs. Curtis, of Kansas; Little, Of
Arkansas, and Flynn, of Oklahoma,
have reported bill from the sub
committee on Indian Affairs, which
contains in substance the principal
suggestions of the Dawes Commission
and which it is thought will command
the favor of the House and prove an
initiatory remedy for the evils and
abuses that arise out of the present
administration of affairs in the
Territory.
The bill provides: That the United
States Courts shall determine all con
troversies arising out Of the tribal lands
or property try all civil cases without
regard to race or citizenship, and have
exclusive jurisdiction of all crimes and
misdemeanors committed in the Terri
tory without regard to race or citizen
ship. (The jurisdiction of the courts at
Fort Smith and Paris, Texas, are not
disturbed, however).
That all acts passed by the Indian
Councils shall be approved by the
President of the United States before
they can become effective.
That the Dawes Commission shall
determine all questions of citizenship
and prepare true and full rolls of all
persons entitled to citizenship in the
several tribes.
That after the survey of the Territory
the Commission shall allot the lands of
the several tribes to the citizens, reserv-
ing town sites, coal and mineral lands
to be disposed of by the Secretary of the
Interior for the benefit of the tribes.
That when properly laid out the
towns may be organized similar to those
of Arkansas.
That anyone receiving royalty or en-
closing a greater amount Of land than
he and his family would be entitled to
upon allotment shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and subject to a heavy
fine
1t will be noted that this bill seeks to
solve the most perplexing questions and
it is thought that ~ or similar one
should pass the adhesion Of the Indian
| 1tAillOlg lulO lut Oulou anu VI UDe
Indians as citizens of the United States
is only a question of time-and of very
brief period of time at that
With the jurisdiction of the Indian
courts absorbed they will, of course, be
disorganized with no courts to enforce
the laws the councils will be useless and
their laws farce with the scrutinizing
eye of the President of the United States
to detect and disapprove the schemes of
trickery and looting that have hereto
fore gone unehallenged through the
Indian councils the power of the cattle
men and the land holders of the Terri
tory will be gone and the almost certain
result will be complete breaking up of
the Indian governments and a universal
petition to be admitted into the Union