The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-08-02
TRIBAL REVENUES.
instructions In Reference TO Payment
of Same.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

The Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
SIR: "The act of Congress ap-
proved June %, 1898, For the pro-
lection of the people of the Indian
Territory, and for other purposes
Public No. 1922, by Section 13 pro-
vides: THAT the Secretary of the
Interior is hereby authorized and di-
rected from time to time to provide
rules and regulations in regard to
the leasing of oil, coal asphalt, and
other minerals in said Territory, and
all such leases shall be made by the
Secretary of the Interior; and any
lease for any such minerals other
wise made shall be absolutely void.
= -
Section 16 of the act provides:
That it shall be unlawful for any
person, after the passage of this act,
except as hereinafter provided, to
claim, demand or receive, for his
own use, or for the use of anyone
else, any royalty on oil, coal, asphalt,
or other mineral, or on any timber
or lumber. or any other kind of
property whatsoever, or any rents
on any lands or property belonging
to any one of said tribes or nations
in said Territory, or for any one to
pay to any individual any such row.
atty or rents or any consideration
thereof whatsoever; and all royalties
and rents hereafter payable to the
tribe shall be paid, under such rules
and regulations as may be prescribed
by the Secretary of the Interior, into
the Treasury of the United States to
the credit of the tribe to which they
belong"
And by Section % it is further pro-
vided: THAT all leases of agricul
tIral or grazing land belonging to
auy tribe made after the first day of
January, eighteen hundred and
ninety eight, by the tribe or any
member thereof shall be absolutely
void, and all such grazing leases
made prior to said date, shall termi-
nate on the first day of April, eigh-
teen hundred al ninety-nine. and
all such agricultural leases shall ter
inmate on January first. nineteen
hundred; but this shall not prevent
individuals from leasing their allot-
ments when made to them as pro
vided in this act, nor from occupy
ing or renting their proportionate
shares of the tribal lands until the
allotments herein provided for are
made"
1t is presumed that operations
have continued to be conducted,
under some at least, of the contracts, !,
leases, permits. etc., affected by the
foregoing provisions. Until the de-
partment can possess itself of all the
relative facts and conditions, it will
not be practicable to make per-
manent rules and regulations for the
conduct and government of these
business affairs. To the end, how
ever, that such business may not suf-
fer from even temporary Interrupt
ton, and that the interests of the
, tribes may be protected, it becomes
necessary to take provisional action
relative thereto.
1t is therefore thought proper anC
advisable that all rents and royaltiel
arising upon such contracts, leases
permits, eto., as were in force at the
time of the passage of said act
shall, hereafter and until otherwise
provided, be collected on the basi
of such contracts, leaseg, permits
etc., and the proceeds paid into th'
Treasury of the United States, to tht
credit of the respective tribes, il
compliance with the provisions o
the act.
Therefore, 1t is ordered that tn
Indian agent in charge OF the Uniol
agency be authorized and instructe'
to inquire into, investigate and as
certain what contracts, leases o
n permits were in existance and intop
Grafton at the date of the pass
age of the act, whether mining, az
ricultural or grazing leases, or 70
cutting timber, lumber or hay, o
10 any other kind of property whatsC
ever, or for rents on any lands o
property belonging to any of th
said tribes; whether the payment
made or to be made Hereunder weE
! upon the basis of q royalty, or of
specific sum for specific quantit
of any kind Of property or produc
or for the use of property for tern
such as q rental or q lease by tt
Of month or year; when the last pa,
7e ments were made whether the lease
< contracts or permitees have sin'
, continued operation under their Sc