The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1896-09-26

y
Number of Juniors su
Number of Junior members f3i
Total membership 5.ub1
Number new societies Op
iaf the " year " 1000
Lodges and Camps Reports.
A. %. T.. w.
So. mbr New mbr 40. org val New g
800 1853 30 30
b. or p.
dj 425 I6 5000
ODD FELLOWS.
Iii5 1856 SO $50 200 y
woopNES OF THE WORLD.
2u s. 10
AR
100 4Is 90 s36 -
coNFEpERArE VETERANS
aio
militia.
Oklahoma has six companies Of mill
tia located at Guthrie, Oklahoma City,
lei Reno, Alva, Ponca City and Paw
nee. A full line of staff officers have
been appointed, Owing to the very
low apportionment Of the national
fund made 20 oklahoma by the secre-
tary Of war some OF these companies
have not as yet been fully equipped
and ! sincerely hope that sufficient
allotment may be made the coming
year TO enable the territory To main
tain force at least in proportion to
its population. There has as yet been
no occasion 90 call the militia into
active service. Distur Dances OF any
character In the territory are very rare
but disturbances, like fire, are b st
extinguished by being always pre-
pared to act promptly
Indian Reservations
The situation in the matter of In
dian Reservations remains unchanged
since the report last year. The Wichi
Ia, Kiowa, Comanche and Apache In
dian Reservations have not as yet been
opened to settlement | cannot re-
frain from urging as / have done here
tofore that these reservations be at
once opened TO settlement They en-
brace some of the finest lands in okla
homa and would be capable of support.
ing large population. The Indians
on their allotments can make but a
very limited use OF the unallotted land.
1t is, in my opinion, subsersive Of the
very best purpose of allotments TO
withhold the residue OF unallotted
lands from settlement. The Indians
learn more OF the ways OF civilization
and modern agriculture from contact
with white height bors than in any 9th
er way. To put an Indian on an allot-
ment in the midst Of an Indian reser
vatiou and expect him 70 farm is in
dulging o hope not justified by the ac
tual results. The attention Of the
government To tins question Is most
earnestly solicited and the earliest
possible action advised
Free Homes
BY act OF Congress March 3, lss9, op.
ening the original Oklahoma country
TO settlement, the public lands Of the
United States in the territory were op-
eued TO settlement under the general
homestead laws Of the United States
free OF any charge to settlers, save
land Office fees. This action was ia
accordance with the established prac'
| tice Of the United States during n hun.
dred years Of its history, and has prov
en- its wisdom by the magnificent and
unparalleled development OF onr
country.
This beneGcent rule was departed
| from when the Sac and Fox, Iowa and
Potta aWatomie Indian reservations In
| Oklahoma were opened for settlement
and in addition TO the regular land
Office fees the settlers were required,
after making homestead eutrY, TO pay
Sl25 per acre for their land The
same provision was applied 10 the
| lands included In the Cheyenne and
Arrapahoe Indian Reservations, and
again in opening 10 settlement the
| Cherokee Outlet and Pawnee and
/ Tonkawa Indian Reservations, save
| that these latter were divided north
! and south into three belts for which
! 81. 90, 81 so and S. so respec lively wer,
! charged This action was taken upoT
| the ground that these lands had beer
/ purchased from the Indians and thai
| settlers should reimburse the govern
ment But this argument is witnou
| force for il would have applied equal
! ly well 10 nearly all the public land
Of the United States, for IL rs a wei
known matter of history that tn,
/ United States has constantly acquires
/ Indians lands by purchase and then op
eued them 10 free homestead settlemen
aud now i'm the matter OF these, tn
last of the reservations, 10 is very lat
day 10 change the policy Of a hundred
years, except for the most urgen
| reasons. AS representative of th'
government Of the United States a
well as the territory of Oklahoma anC
having no interest ia the matter asid
from the good OF the whole people
have endeavore6 TO take an impartia
view Of this whole subject and, after
careful examination, no reason i
apparent which jusiifes the grea
government of the UEited States il
departing from this magnanimou
/ rc.ioy OF a century which in no small
degree has contributed TO make i
the great government which IL is. an'
now in this late day 10 levy land ta'
OF fifteen million dollars upon new
and struggling territory and wiring
from these pioneer sons of toll I
tribute SO heavy that even a com
munity with accumulated wealth o
q hundred years would groan to pa
H. Those who have had any expert
ence in this pioneer life know how
many are the difficulties that bese
/ him who attempts this first eonques
Of the sell and how that burdens tha
may seem light 10 old and wealth.
communities may be very gTievoo
when laid upon the shoulders of !
community of homesteaders just lay
ing the foundations OF home 20
themselves and family. II this triout'