The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-04-24
Copyright 1898. |

one-half minutes. This result is what
has been predicted by the friends of
the measure during the long weeks
that have elapsed since it went on
the house calendar: that it's consid-
er.tion meant it's passage.
So much has been said and written
about the t'urtis bill since its intro
duction at the beginning of the pres
ent session of congress that the very
sound of it's name is like familiar
strain of some we'll known air.
The dag following the passage of
the war resolution, after the house
had droned along for an hour or SO
after the reading of the journal. pass
ing unimportant bills by unanimous
consent, some one called for the reg
ular order.
In an instant Messrs. Curtis, Little
and Sherman were on the alert.
"The clerk will call the first COM
mittee," announced the speaker.
The public lands committee came
first and Chairman Lacy called up
and passed sundry bills.
The fourth call by the clerk was
the committee on Indian affairs.
Chairman Sherman, the rosy
checked. round-faced. good-temper-
ed New York Yankee, took the floor
and called up the Curtis bill. In do
ing SO. he suggested that the reading
of it be dispensed with, and the re-
port of the committee be read for the
information of the house. To this
Mr.. Dockery of Missouri objected, /,
in full.
The clerk droned through it's twen-
ty-seven sections in something less
than forty minutes.
Chairman Sherman again took the
floor and briefly explained the pro-
gress of the bill through the various
committees and subcommittee to
the calendar of the house.
When he concluded, on every side
were cries of "Vote! votel"
he house voted and the bill
passed.
The Curtis bill has gone to the SEN
ate Indian affairs committee, and an
early consideration OF it is promised
-
| today called on Senator Jones, to
get some general expression in re-
gard to it for the people of the Indian
Territory. Those who know the re-
Iation of Senator Jones to Indian
Territory legislation, and the posi-
ton he occupies in the senate can
fully appreciate the force of what he
says:
1.-THE bill will be considered just as
soon as the committee can reach it.
I have not polled the senate or the
committee, and would not like to
predict what Indian legislation will
pass. can state what l am in favor
of. / favor the amendment and tn G
resubmission of the treaties"
Senator Platt is known to prefer
that all Indian legislation be based
on treaties. With Senator Platt pass
lively and Senator Jones actively fol
the treaties, and Senator PettigreW
willing to agree to anything that will
secure an abolition of the tribal gov.
ernments and the allotment of the
Indian lands, the probabilities of the
resubmlsssion of the treaties are BY
no means remote.
-
On Thursday the house passed
Judge Little's bill declaring tlt
federal Jail at Fort Smith, Arkansas
a national prison."
'sThat the federal Jail at For
Smith, Arkansas, is hereby declared
to be national prison for the con
finement of persons convicted O
crimes and misdemeanors in thu
United States and commissioners
courts in the Indian Territory, il
cases where the term of imprison
ment does not exceed one year"
The report accompanying the bill
contains the following:
1.-THE federal Jail referred to in tn
bill has capacity for the safe keep
ing OF more than 500 prisoners, an
the great lack of prison accommods
tions in the Indian Territory ren
ders the use OF this Jail as a priso
for short term convicts expedien
and economical"
The passage of the bill approache
the solution of a question that ha
been before congress and the de
partment of justice for some time.
Judge Little's hrst effort was I
have the Jail declared a nations
prison, by direct action OF the de
partment, but not being certain @