Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-01-27

luc LOW II SAlt, anu lldl the Sdmr
shall be paid for, in installmente
of % per cent cash, and the res
mainder in five yearly payments
Another material difference car
ried by the amendment is the ap
proval of the sale of lots by the
Cherokee nation.
The Indian appropriation bill is
completed: 1t carries two items
of especial interest to the people
of the Indian Territory. The
Dawes commission is reduced to
three. This was done by the
house Indian affairs committee at
its Monday meeting. just before
reporting the bill. Messrs. Little
and Benton, of the committee,
made hard fight for the reten-
ton of the commission as at pres
ent organized, stating that it would
be fatal work to cripple it either in
numbers or salary at this time.
The committee voted, however to
reduce it to three, but continued
their salaries at $1,000. As to
which three of the commits
sion will be retained will not,
of course, be determined, until the
end of the fiscal year, June 3Oth
next, when the new appropriation
bill becomes effective.
| am in possession of such facts
as to justify me in saying, without
hesitation, that the Indian Terri
tory and Oklahoma will not be
consolidated, at this session. Up
on this question the people of the
Indian Territory may dismiss
their fears, and give the matter no
further serious consideration.
Senator Jones has introduced
two bills this week relating to the
Indian Territory. One is to ex-
tend the time for the completion of
the Fort Smith and Western rail
road, and the other is Tor the pay
ment of arrears OF interests on the
Chickasaw trust funds.
Senate bill 2S5S, authoriz ng the
Muskogee Coal and Railway Com
pany to construct and operate
railway through the Indian Terri
tory from Ft. Gibson, through the
Cherokee and Creek nations, to
Vernon, Texas, has passed the
senate.
Governor Brown, of the Semi
noles, with other delegates of that
nation are here, to urge congress
to ratify the treaty recently made
with the Dawes commission. Judge |
Little has just introduced into the |
house a bill for that purpose. Opin-
ion as to the ratification of this
treaty is divided. While it is gen.
orally conceded that this nation
should be allowed to close up its
affairs, provision for which they
have voluntarily made by treaty, |
the objection to it is that the affair."
pf the territory should be settled
by one general, uniform law, and
that To ratify this treaty would
matters by settling the
iffrirs oi the Seminolrs on basis
other than that To be arranged tor
he other nations.
There has been published in the
senate, upon motion of Senator
Jones, of Arkansas, under the title
,t Document No. 65. - the agree
men made by the Dawes commits
;ion with the Choctaws and
lhIckaSaws, with sub heads aud
marginal notes. or course the
ext L. the same a. it has appear
ID in other prints, but the head
ngs and marginal notes that have
'een added make il possible to
.a-ily aud conveniently locate any
Dartlcular feature of the treaty.
Judge Little has prepared and
will offer, as soon as the Indian
appropriation bill comes up in the
louse, an amendment providing
hat the Interstate Commerce COM
mission be given power to fix the
ateS of transportation to be
harged for carrying Indian sup
lies to the various reservations.
lis information is that, during the
ast few years these freight charg-
8 have increased to an enormous
xtent, and the amendment to be
ffered seeks to correct one of the [
abuses connected with ,
he vast public service.
John Bullette, delegate for the
delaware Indians in the Cherokee {
alton, will arrive in Washington
4 a day or two. r. C.. Adams has {
cen here since shortly after the
leeting of congress. Mr.. Adams is
ell pleased with the recognition
lven the Delawares in the Curtis I
i'll, and as he expresses it, "it is t
ood as far as it goes" The bill 6
rovides that their 157 600 acres 6
land be set apart to the Della
ares who were on the roll at the U
me of purchase in 1867 and their t,
eirs, without prejudice to the
ghts of those born since that n
me. They will ask that the bill I
, further and allot the fee of the Il
y 900 acres, and also allot to
lose born since 1867 full shares =
the Cherokee land, as Cherokee
tizens, and that their right to {
irticipate in the Cherokee funds p
, declared and made certain. s