The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-02-23
CURTIS BILL COMPLETED
Several Amendments Made. but a. ..
Principal Provisions Remsin the
Same--New Section Added

dian territory was completed UodaN |
by the committee on Indian affairs, |
and q report authorized to be made.
Several amendments are made, ono
of the principal ones being the inser
ton of a provision giving all persons
who have made improvements on
their property until December 81 to
dispose Of their improvements to
members of the tribe owning the
lands. Parties who claim rights un-
der the acts of congress are author
ICED to bring suit to determine their
legal rights, but it is stipulated that
the provision shall not be, courts
given jurisdiction are prevented
from exercising by injunction aty
authority to prevent the operation of
the act. The coal lease section has
been rewritten, but the only material
change made in it is a clause that
the bill should take effect, so far as
coal lands are concerned. within
nine months.
While the laws of Arkansas are ex-
tended over the Territory, il is pro
vided that only the United States
law shall prevail as regards the sale
OF Intoxicating liquor.
An important change has been
made in section Is which has rela-
ton to the appointment of apprais
ers. AS the bill originally stood, it
provided that two appraisers were
to be appointed for each town; one
to be selected by the secretary of
the interior and the other to be the
mayor of the town. 1t is said by
members of the committee that as
soon as the Territory delegates were
advised that the mayor of each town
was to be one of the appraisers, a
very large number of them took the
first train out of ashington to re-
turn to the Territory and announce
their candidacy for mayor. The COM
mittee, having learned of this, de-
cided to disappoint these enterpris-
ing men, so the bill now reads that
one appraiser shall be selected by
the secretary of the interior and the
other by the city council of each
town. In case these two cannot
agree, a third is % be appointed by
the Judge of the United States court
for the district. 1t is further pro-
vided that persons purchasing lots
on which they have improvements
can purchase them at 80 per cent OF
the appraised value
A new section has been added at
the end of the bill. This section
provides that the United states
courts shall enforce the laws of the
United states only. This section
was added in view of information
which has come to the committee
that United States Judge Springer
has been enforcing the tribal laws as
well as the laws of the United States.
With the exception of the changes
which have been enumerated, the
bill which will be reported Will be
the same as the Curtis bill in all it's
provisions, If not its phraseology.
The provisions of the Curtis bill are
now generally known throughout
the Indian Territory. Mr.. Curtis
the author of the bill, is confident il
will pass the house in about the form
in which it will be reported, and be
does not look for the senate commit.
tee on Indian affairs to make any
material changes in reporting the
bill as all the present provisions ars
satisfactory to the members of the
joint subcommittee OF the senatt
and house, which has been consider
ing the bill for some time.
Among the provisions OF the bill Il
one that money derived from allot
ment or otherwise, which is to q
into 9 general fund for the benefit o
n the members of the respective tribes
shall be paid into the sub-treasury a
:. st. Louis.
All claims of any kind which tn
J United States may have upon any o
the tribes or nations OF Indians, o
the tribes or nations OF Indians ma
have upon the United States, shal
= be submitted to joint committee c
= the senate and house, said commit
n tee to consist of two members of tn
4 senate and three members of tn
A house, and the said committee shs
sit as q board of arbitration for fini
determination, and without any III
necessary delay the board sha
make the award and provision fo
the settlement of whatever sum {
sums are awarded by It.