Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-06

| said Nations. the agreement with the latter
Nation could have effect without the
consent OF the former. On April %, 1897,
the commission effected an agreement with
| both trites-the Choctaws and Chickasaws.
| This agreement, 1t is understood, has been
| ratified by the constituted authorities of
| the respective Tribes Nations parties
thereto. and only requires rati;i alton by
Congress to mako it binding.
On the 9th of September, 1897 an agree
| ment was effected with the Creek Nation,
| but it is understood that the National
Council Of said Nation has refused to ratify
the same. Negotiations are yet to be had
with the Cherokees, the most populous of
the Five Civilized Tribes, and with the
Seminoles the smallest in point of numbers
and territory.
The provision Of the Indian Appropriation
Act, approved June 10. 1895, makes it the
duty of the Commission to investigate and
determine the rights of applicants for citi-
zenship in the Five Civilized Tribes, and to
make complete census rolls Of the citizens
of said Tribes. The Commission is at pres
ent engaged in this work among the Creeks
and has made appointments for taking the
census of these people up to and including
the 10th of the present month.
Should the agreement between the Choc-
taws and Chickasaws be ratified by Con-
gress and should the other tribes fail to
make an agreement with the Commission,
then 1t will be necessary that some legis-
Iatlon shall be had by Congress, which,
while just and honorable to the Indians.
shall be equitable to the white people who
have settled upon these lands by invitation
Of the Tribal Nations
Hon. Henry L. Dawes. Chairman of the
Commission, in letter to the Secretary of
the Interior, under date of October II, 1897,
says: individual ownership is in their
the Commission's) opinion absolutely es-
sential to any permanent Improvement in
present conditions. and the lack of 1t is
the root of nearly all the evils which
SO grfevously aff1ict these people. Allot-
ment by agreement is the only possible
method, unless the United States Courts
are clothed with the authority to appor-
ton the lands among the citizen Indians
Tor whose use it was originally granted"
concur with the Secretary Of the Inte-
rior tnat there can be no cure for the evils
ehgendered by the perversion of these great
trusts excepting by their resumption by the
government which created them.
MARINE HOSPITAL
The recent prevalence of yellow fever
80 - AANoSA VI SilicS anu Towns through.
out the South has resulted in much dis
turbance Of commerce and demonstrates
the necessity Of such amendments to our
quarantine laws as will make the regula-
lions OF the national quarantine authorities
paramount. The Secretary Of the Treas
ury IN the portion Of his report relating
TO the operation Of the Marine HOSPITAL
Service calls attention to the defects in
the present quarantine laws and recon-
mends amendments thereto which will
give the Treasury Department the requisite
authority to prevent the invasion of cpl
demic diseases from foreign countries. and
IN times Of emergency like that of the past
summer Will add to the efficiency of the
sanitary measures for the protection of the
people and at the same time prevent un-
necessary restriction OF commerce con-
cur In his recommendation
In further effort to prevent the invasion |
OF the United States by yellow fever the
Importance Of the discovery Of the exact |
cause Of the disease. which up to the pres |
emit time has been undetermined 10 obvious
and to this end . systematic bacterioloeical |
investigation should be made. therefore |
recommend that Congress authorize the an |
p0tntment Of q commission By the Presf-
dent to consist Of four expert bacter3olo- /
gists. one to be selected from the medical |
ofheers Of the Marine Hospital Service. |
one TO Be appointed from civH nfe, one to |
be detailed from the medical oficers Of the |