The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1897-01-11
INDIAN LEGISLATION.
Conference OF chostaws and Dawes
COmmIAsIOn Held at wSshinRtOn
Opposition Has Developed.

Washington, Jan. I0.-A joint con-
ference of the Dawes Indian commits
sion and the Choctawilndian. .deiega-
ton respecting the Choctaw agree
ment was held in the office of Sscre-
tary Francis this afternoon. Com
missioner OF Indian Affairs Browning
was present. The session was de-
voted TO a discussion Of the leading
provisions of the agreement prelim-
mary to its approval by Secretary
Francis and it's submission to the
president. The action that congress
may take when the subject 10 sub
mitted for ratification is causing
considerable uneasiness and was
talked over at length.
The agreement provided for the
sale of all the Choctaw and Chicka-
saw lands Except to freedmen, pro-
vided for in the 1896 treaty.; the
keeping OF title to all minerals in the
/ United States government in trust
for the tribes; make the allotted
lands inalienable and untaxable for
twenty-five years, and gives full
citizenship rights to two tribes upon
the termination Of the tribal govern
ment, which is fixed to end eight
years from March next. So far the
ChickasRws have not indicated their
approval OF the agreement and it
may be necessary TO enforce IL for
the benefit OF only the Choctaw in
terests pending further legislation.
The principal opposition that has
developed thus far is that of the
holders of the leases OF coal lands.
The agreement provides that those
coal mines now in operation in good
faith may be continued until the
lease runs out, but leases for mines
not now in operation terminate with
the ratification of the agreement.
These people have organized in an
effort 10 defeat ratification and have
send al attorney here 70 represent
,heir Interests. They cl-im Incl
dentally L. represent the interests Of
the tOwnsIte holders who bought
tius from the individual Indian, but
in view of the interests in common
in the land they must buy again
under the agreement.
E Much Of the time Of the conference
Wds taken up ia Z. hearing given u
, Simon Sterne o. new York, an at
torney representing the Missouri,
Kansas aud Texas railroad. The
road under its charter, IL is claimed,
is given alternate sections for ten
miles on each side along its line,
amounting, it has been figured, &c
over 900 900 acres of valuable land
whose title is TO pass 10 it upon the
extinguishment of the Indians title
The agreement keeps the title in the
Indians. The road claims that hav
ing constructed and operated III
road, it had performed its part o
the stipulatiOns and the charter
therefore should not be violated anC
. the land should become the property
: of the road on the extinguishment o
communal title.
The department, the commission
ers and Indians naturally are agains
this proposition. The commission
took the ground that when a con
tract is made as to any right or prop
erty OF which legislative body o
the government has power to legis
late contract is entered into with {
view to such legislation as that bod,
] NAV SEQ fir tO euact
memorial was presented ais,
from the fullblood Choetaws in Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana, claiming tina
\ they should be considered pArt of tn
Choctaw nation and their right
be considered. This was practi
cally ignored, as these people hav
- steadfastly Irefused TO return TO tn,
3 Indian Territory with the nation
= After a brief discussion OF the worl
done by the Dawes commission in th
&c territory the conference was adjourn
y ed until Monday morning. Th
= Usage Indian nation, it is said, ha
le asked for negotiations with the con
mission on the same lines as wit
the FIVE civilized tribes.
Secretary Francis is Of the opinio
that the treaty will be in the hand
OF the president by Wednesday.