The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-04-03
URGENT MEMORIAL.
Clarence Douglas Pictures the Condition
ofIndian Territory Affairs Speedy
Action Asked.

WASHINGTON, ID. c. Apr. 2-In
the earlier part of the session there
was shown a strong disposition to
pass townsite bill for the Indian
Territory The pressing necessity
for legislation which would enable
the white communities to acquire
title, set up local seIf-government
and tax themselves for schools and
other purposes was conceded. The
session is nearly ended. Nothing
has been done to press the townsite
bills, and it looks as if nothing will
be done. The prospect for any
thing more than the continuance of
the Dawes commission, with authori-
ty to make up the rolls of Indians in
the territory, is dIscouraging,
In view of this situation, Clarence
B. Douglas, who has been here all
winter, representing the territory,
today laid before the Indian com
mittee of the house the following
urgent memorial:
"Taht 300, 900 loyal citizens of the
United States, living in the very
heart of the nation, are paying taxes
to government in which they have
no representation, are living out
their lives disfranchised, without a
flag, without a country, without a
semblance of title to the home they
have created, and feeling at times
as if there was for them no law, no
relief, no God. That these people,
all of them without a voice or a vote
in the government and the institu-
tions which they help to support,
have not furnished the world with a
second editien of the Boston tea
party, or something still more tragic,
and set up provisional government
for themselver, speaks well for their
conservatism and their faith in finally
seeing simple justice done them by
the body in which you are an inn
portant factor. They are political
outcasts and tranps, forced 10 come
and beg from back windows Of con
gress for that which tGeS have an
inherent right as American CITIZENS
to go to the front ,!ocf a.d demand.
q believe il ws...I :je y. = for vou
in your de!ihera..3. - upt entirely
ignore the interests cf tlcse rcop!e,
and to give - :'.e-l - last Cand il
is very little c,;'f--rei v-ish their
holdings the recognition ana relief
for which that part Of tl.a bill now
before YOU provides, in relation to
townsites
The old cry that the white peo-
p le are intruders and have acquired
rights in the territory contrary to
the laws of the various tribes is an
exploded theory, from the fact that
special and specific laws have been
enacted taxing and legalizing the in
terests acquired by them, and per-
mitting them to increase their hold
ings and build up commercial
eenters and prosperous trading
points.
Our record in the Indian Teri
tory and our dealings with the
Indian tribes will compare very
favorably, indeed, with that of cur
forefathers, from Columbus down.
We have, at least up to date, made
no open war on them for their pos
s. sions, nor have we slaughtered
them because they refused to give
up their lands. We are not asking
something for nothing, but are will
ing to pay several times the original
VaiIe for the town property, of which
We HaVe possession. Set a price on
thls, tell us when we shall pay it,
ana TO whom we shall pay it, and
give to US title that will make our
MONIES III the Indian Territory a sub
stantial reality. This will work no
injustice to the Indian, as, according
10 thelr laws and customs, they have
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