Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-02
CHICkAsAw DELEGATION CALLS ON
SECRETARY FRANCIS.
FILED A FORMAL PROTEST.
WILL HAVE 4 SPECIAL Pow-wow
IN THE COURSE OF \ FEW DAYS.
some of the Objections which They
Raise 10 the Proposed Agreement
-ChoctaWs Also Demanding
Some Notifications in
Proposed Treaty.

NaShington. Feb. 1.-tSpeCiai) The Chick
asaws are pressing their opposition to the
Choctaw and Chickasaw agreement with
great vigor. \ delegation of nine, escorted
by eN-Congressman Peale, called. at the in
terror department to-day and fiIed u tor
NAL protest with the secretary. They will
| have special pow-wow in Il few days,
when they Will present their grievances i'll
detail. Conferences on Indian treaty prob
lens are the order OF the day and efforts
are being made to get the representatives
OF the two tribes together. in the hope of
effscting some sort OF understanding in
time for congress TO act before adiourninS.
Ihe Chickasaw delegation consists OF
Chief Harris, William L. Byrd, r. l.. Boyd.
T. {. Walker. William NJ. Guy. S. B. Kemp.
isaac o. Lewis, Richard McGish and j.
Brown The protest sets forth fourteen rea-
sons why they oppose the confirmation OF
the treaty. They claim they were not rem
| resented at the making of The contract and
OBJECT to conveying the title to all their
Janus 10 the United STATES i'll trust to bts
re-surVeyed to the ullottces: they object to
the reservation from allotment of the strip
between Fort Smith and the Poteau river
ana the reservation of lands for public
Dul!OlngS until an agreement with the,
Choctaws regarding the same has been
reached; also 10 the reservation OF mineral
lands by the United States and do not
consider the Chickasaw freedmen entitled
10 share in the lands or money. they also
object to the sale of town lots and convey
ing fee title. and demand that the excess OF
revenues from coal. etc, be subject to the,
control of the nation; they demand the re-
tentlon of the jurisdiction of their courts
over onenses between Indian citizens, and
are opposed 10 the approval by the presi-
uent or all laws and ordinances passed by
the TWO nations, and the liking of a limits-
ton upon the existence of their tribal gov
ernment- Finally. they ask the immediate
payment OF arrears and unpaid interest on
their trust funds, and object TO the arbi-
tration OF all claims between the nation
IN lfG. rYNNr
In the meantime, the Choctaws have
raised another obstacle in the path of the
final adjustment of their case, and are
asking for special consideration of their
rights in the LEASED strip before the
senate takes action. Senator Platt to-day
submitted to the senate memorial of the
commission OF the Choctaw nation as TO
the Leased district, in which they point out
the difheulty of procuring the ratification
Oh o., Ihe clause IN the Choctaw and Chicka-
saw treaty IN which the senate of the
United States is designated as a board OF
arbitrators on all claims of the Indians
against the government and of the United
States against the Indians. This Difficulty
Is especially indicated with reference to
the claim relating to the lands lying in
leased district" The commission asks that
this particular claim be examined into and
the amount that the United States is Will
ing to pay for this interest ascertained
contemporaneous with the consideration OF
the agreement itself. In the ratification of
this agreement, 1t is asked that it may be
stated that the ratification is considered
on the Choctaws' accepting such sums as.
upon investigation, the United States Is
willing to pay. with such other suitable
provisions in respect of method of payment
as may be appropriate.
The memorialists say that. In the All
sence of some definite understanding in re-
gard to this matter in advance. they fear
that the uncertainty in that regard will
operate to defeat the ratification of the
agreement: The Choctaws announce them
serves ready shortly to present their claim
IN respect TO the leased district, with all
the evidence in regard thereto