The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-09-10

Z.
that we might have our cases dock
eted before barred by limitation.
This together with the costs of the
district court and attorney fees (un-
der contract with my predecessor
consumed the largest portion of this
fund; and later on / will submit an
itemized statement of the disburse
ments made by me with the ac-
cempanying vouchers and showing
the balance on hand. In this con-
nection / shall state that the Chick
asaw citizenship committee are
watching closely the interests OF the
nation and assisting the Dawes COM
mission in making a roll of citizens
Justly entitled to enrolment; and
that upon our recommendation, after
advising and consulting my cabinet,
l have employed Messrs. Mansfield,
McMurray & Cornish, a firm of law
yers of South McAlester, to assist
our commission in contesting doubt
full claimants before the Dawes COM
mission with view that the nation
might be protected against the en-
rollment of any persons who are not
justly entitled to same. and to make
a record of all cases who have OBJ
tanned citizenship by fraud and such
means. That the matter may be ad-
justed before the roll is made final.
Their contract being subject to your
approval, which l will submit later
on for your consideration and action.
1 was personally present at the sit
ting of the Dawes commission at Du-
rant, and from my observation, can
state that both our citizenship com
mission and these attorneys are Wig
liant to see that no person is enrolled
who is net justly entitled thereto.
l cannot too much impress upon
you the Importance of public educa-
ton. To me it is gratifying to state
that it will not be necessary to sus-
pend any of our public schools for
lack of funds; and that with the as
sistance of the royalties on coal and
aaphalt, every child of Chickasaw
| blood within the scholastic age can
be fully equipped with a complete
education for the duties and respon-
sibilities of citizenship in all it's
phases, and to this end L recommend
that you make ample provisions.
Our law imposing timber royalty
has outlived it's usefulness and has
proven other than beneficial under
the changed conditions. 1t reaps
| the nation no revenue and very
greatly hinders proper enforcement
| of the United States criminal statute,
prohibiting the destruction of tim
! ber on Indian lands. l thert re rec
omend its appeal.
Coal and asphalt trustee have
been informed by the United States
inspector that the salary for this Of
fetal is inadequate for the laboIs to
be performed and expenses incurred /;
also there was a lapse of time be-
tween the date of his commission and
the approval of the act fixing his
salary. Therefore l recommend that
you provide for his expenses in ad-
dition to reasonable salary and that
he be reimbursed for the time served
prior to the date of the approval BY
the president of AN act fixing the
salary of the Chickasaw coal trus-
tee"
Sale of lands-For the information
OF the legislature 1 have to relate
that during last winter the Chicago
Rock Island and Pacific Railway
company made application to the In
terror Department for 1857 acres ad-
ditional station grounds at Chickasha
and called upon me to agree to $50
per acre as the price therefor under
the act of Congress approved April
25, 1896, 1 replied that 1 had no au-
thority to sell lands of the Chicka-
saw nation and that / doubted the
power of the Chickasaw legislature
to give me such authority without
the concurrence of the Choctaw ma
ton, as these two tribes hold these
lands in common. Subsequently l
received a check from NJ. A. Lowe,
ESQ.,, general attorney of the rail-
way company, amounting to s1s9.25
in payment for the 7-67 acres ap-
piled for, but returned this check
with the same statement that / had
no legal authority. Whereupon the
Indian agent and inspector called
upon me to appoint some one to rep
resent the nation and agree upon q
price for lands for this purpose.
submit this proposition to your hon.
orable bodies to authorize the ap-
pointments of some person to rep
resent the nation in conjunction with
the Choctaws, provided they desire
to do so, or to take such action az
you deem proper.
1