The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-08-17
TERRITORY LANDS.
United States Indian Agent wisdom
Readers His opInIOn Regarding
Portions of the Curtis BIZ.

OnlI0u SLaGeS 1n0lan agent WIS
dom has addressed the following
letter 10 the people of the Indian
Territory, in which he gives his opin-
ion regarding certain portions of the
Curtis bill affecting the lands in the
Indian Territory The letter will be
read with much interest, as Agent
Wisdom is a recognized authority on
Indian affairs, both in the Indian
Territory and at Washington:
ITO the People of the Indian Ter
ritory:
'In reply to numerous inquiries
addressed to me, regarding the effect
of certain portions of the Curtis
bill on affairs in the Indian Terri
tory, 1 will state that according to
the second proyiso of section 16 of
the Curtis bill, any citizen in posses
sion of only such amount of agricul-
tural or grazing lands as would be
his just and reasonable share of the
to which his wife and minor children
are entitled, may continue to use the
same or receive the rents thereon
until allotment has been made to
him. AS to any excess over the
amount of land a citizen and his
family would be entitled to hold for
allotments longer than March 28,
1898, will give my opinion that such
holder has the right to sell his i'm
provements on such excess to some
other citizen who proposes in good
faith to take the same for allotments
for himself and family at any time
between now and the 25th of next
March, and any tenant or tenants
on such excess would Immediately
become the tenant of the purchaser,
and the purchaser would immediate
ly become the rightful owner of the
place by virtue of the purchase
coupled with his intention TO take
such lands in good faith for allot-
ments. If, however, the original
holder of such excess fails to dispose
of such surplus of lands by March 2s,
1899, he shall forfeit such excess in
question, and is also liable to fine
Of not less than 500, and each day
on which such offense is committed
or continued to exist shall be deem
ed separate offense.
"If a non-citizen is farming Indian
lands which are not claimed for al
lotment, or for the purpose of allot-
ment, then the rents on such un-
claimed lands must be paid into the
United States treasury through this
agency to the credit of the tribe
owning the land; but any citizen of
the Nation wishing to do SO may, al
the end of the crop year, settle on
such unclaimed land for the purpose
of allotment in good faith, and,
thereafter, rent such land and re-
ceiv6 the rents thereon.
Holders of land N excess of the
amount which he and his family are
entitled to as allotments are not al
lowed to collect the rents on such
excess for the present year. and the
tenant 10 forbidden to pay rents on
such excess to any individual for his
own use or for the use of anyone
else, but must pay it into the United
States treasury through this agency,
and any violation of this provision
by either the landlord or tenant will
subject them to the penalties above
mentioned.
''There are crudities in the Curtis
bill might say, apparent contra
dictions-still you need not read be.
tween the lines to discover that al
lotment has come and come to stay
and with it's entrance monopoly and
it's cohorts have been remanded tC
the rear. 1t will fire few parting
shots, create some friction and con
fusion, but it will and must come.
81 will say in addition that it nigh
be best for renters in paying remit
to landlords to take a receipt there
for, which receipt shall show on it
face that the rents so paid as a rem
tai on a certain number of acre.
which are included in the permanen
allotment of the landlord and hi
family and upon no lands in excess
of such allotments, and if the land
? lord refuses to sign such receipt
then let the renter withhold sucl
rents, subject to the orders of tn
United States authorities.
livery respectfully,
I'd. M. WISDOM,
"United States Indian Agent"