Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-02-18
SECRETARpS REPORT.
PROPOSITIONS ON ALLOTMENT RE.
VIEWED AT LENGTH.
Several Changes suggested In Pending
BIIIs and In the Choctaw Agreement
A General Allotment Measure Is
Favored.

| Washington, Feb. 10.-The fol.
| lowing letter, addressed by Seore-
tary Francis to Senator Pettigrew,
will be of interest:
Hon. r. f. Pettigrew, chairman
committee on Indian affairs, U. S.
senate: Sir-I am in receipt of
yours of the Goth ult., inclosing a
copy of senate bill No. 354i, emit.
tied bill ito secure to the citizen.
Indians in the Indian Territory
the equal use of their tribal lands,
and to extend the jurisdiction of
the United States courts therein,
and for other purposes" and re-
questing report thereon.
The commission appointed un.
der the act of March 3, 1898, com.
monty known as the Dawes com
mission" to negotiate with the
FIVE civilized tribes for the extin
guishment Of their tribal title to
the lands occupied and owned by
them, and the ultimate ABOLITION
of their tribal government and the
formation Of a state or states of the
union out OF the territory occupied
by said fiye tribes, made repeated
efforts to effect an agreement
whereby the aforesaid objects
could be accomplished All their
efforts proved unavailing, however
until a few weeks ago, when an
agreement was entered into be-
tween the aforesaid commission,
representing the United States, and
a commission of the Choctaw ma
tion, appointed for the purpose of
negotiating an agreement with our
government. That agreement was
framed for the signatures of the
Chickasaw nation also, as the
Choctaws and Chickasaws own
jointly the territory occupied by
them; but the Chickasaws have
failed to sign.
have the honor to forward in
this connection a certified copy of
a protest by representatives Of the
Chickasaw nation against some of
the provisions of the Choctaw
agreement, which protest was filed
in this department February l,
1897. | also forward herewith a
copy of a protest by Mr.. E. N.
Wright, one of the commissioners
of the Choctaw nation, appointed
to negotiate with the Dawes com.
mission, and the only member of
said Choctaw commission who re.
fused TO sign the aforesaid Choc-
taw agreement. l also forward
protests by the Missouri, Kansas
and Texas Railway Co. and the
Southwestern Coal Co. against the
Choctaw agreement, filed with me
by Mr.. Simon Sterne, general
counsel for said companies and
forwarded to you by his request.
Other protests against the Choc.
taw agreement have been made to
me orally, and in writing, and l
have also received a number of
communications advocating the
agreement and expressing a strong
desire that congress ratify the
same.
/ have devoted much time and
patient consideration to this sub.
ject, and you will no doubt agree
with me in the conviction that it is
beset with many difficulties. Itis
not possible to frame a bill at this
time which will meet all the diff
culties Of the present situation in
the Indian Territory. Whatever
remedies should be proposed for
existing conditions would surely
meet with opposition from some
source, but the longer an adjust
ment OF conflicting interests is de-
layed the more complicated and
difficult the situation will become
and the stronger will be the oppo-
sition to any solution suggested.
That the ownership of the lands
is vested in the Indian tribes can
not be successfully denied; it has
been recognized by the govern
men: through acts Of congress, de.
cisions Of the courts and by many
acts Of the executive. The rapid
advance in civilization made by
these five tribes has been enoour-
aged by the United States govern
ment, which has, to the extent ad-
visabls, reirsined from interfering
with the management of their in
ternal affairs. They have framed
laws for their own government and
have adopted regulations admitting
non citizens to residence in their
midst; they have made contracts
with corporations and individuals,
granted permits and invited the in
vestment Of capital. This has
added to the wealth Of the terrific.
ry and materially aided in the de-
velopment OF its resources.
The bill is designed to apportion
among the individual Indians the
use OF the lands which they own as
tribes, reserving certain portions
of townsites and educational and
religious uses. IL is doubtless
framed on the theory that as the
title to the lands is in the Indian
tribes, it is the duty Of the United
States government TO see that the
rights Of the individual Indians
arc protected. In that theory |
fully concur, and believe it TO be
10 the interest Of all parties con-
cerned that some legislation along
this line should be enacted during
the present session of congress
The Choctaw agreement negotiated
by the Dawes commission 10 the
first evidence given by any Of the
five civilized tribes that they are