The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-12-14


fence and erect certain improve
ments on their respective farms.
That thousands and thousands
of farms have been reduced to cul-
tivatioR and improved and equip
ped with all necessary fencing aud
houses, under the terms of such
contracts, the terms of which com
tracts vary from three to ten years.
That thousands of said contracts
have not yet expired and thous-
ands offarmers. in the Chickasaw
nation, have not had possession
and use of the farms improved and
put in cultivation by them, long
enough to pay them for the capital
and labor expended by them.
The most of the farmers in the
Chickasaw nation are poor men,
dependent upon their labor and
production of the soil for a living
for themselves and families. That
under the provisions of what is
known as the Atoka Agreement,
the government of the Chickasaw
and Choctaw nations are continu-
ed In existence for eight years
from and after the 4th day of
March, 1898, and from representa-
tions made by the Dawes commits
sion, and from the slow progress
made by them in the preparation
of the Indian tribes fer the allot-
ment of their lands, it is almost
certain that the Indian will not be
ready for allotment before the ex-
piration of said eight years.
The act of congress. known as
| the Curtis bill, provides that all
agricultural leases in the Chicka.
saw and ChOctaw nations expire
on the 1st day of January, 1900.
The manifest purpose of that pro
vision was to have the country il
readiness for the Dawes commits
sion to put the individual Indiar
in possession of his allotment; but
it appearing that the Dawes com
mission has not progressed fan
enough with its work TO deliver
the allotment to the individual
Iudian, and there being no neces-
Sity for the enforcement of the
Curtis bill terminating agricultural
leases ON the 1st day of January
1900. we respectfully submit that il
would Be unjust and cause great
hardships aud misery among the
farmers in the Chickasaw nation,
to enforce such provision, termin-
ating agricultural leases, ejecting
farmers from their claims and put.
ting the Indian in possession there.
! of.
We make these representations
; in view of the fact that there is nc
tpublic necessity for such action
on the part of the United State:
court, and in view of the further
fact that the Hon. Tams Bixby
,, acting chairman of the Dawes com
mission, in a communication dated
at Muskogee, Ind. Ter, November
, Is, 1899, has stated, in substance
that, the citizen who desires t.
dispossess the lessee holding
Chickasaw or Choctaw land afts
January /, 1900, may advise tn,
Dawes commission of the fact ant
we will proceed through the In
dian agent, and have said lesse,
: removed from the land in his pos
session." and that the law of cor
: gress, relative to the dispossessinl
S of the lessee, after January l
' 1900 will undoubtedly be enforced
e Since the publication of tina
: communication many citizens o
: the Chickasaw nation, in violation
= of their leases and contracts Will
5 the farmers of the Chickasaw ma
f tion, have given such lessees no
g tice to surrender possession of thei
: farms on the 1st day of Januar.
9 next. Much agitation has beel
: caused by the publication of tha
4 communication and service of sucl
: notices. The amount of the iujur
that would be done the farmers O
the Chickasaw nation, by dispos
! sessing them of the farms improve
by them. on the 1st day of Januar
next, can hardly be estimated i
dollars.
The country is full of rumors
the effect that it is the purpose an
intention of the secretary of the in
terror to cause the Indian polio
to dispossess the farmers of thei
j farms on or before the 1st of Jan
uary next. and put Indian citizen
in possession thereof.
The undersigned. on behalf o
the farmers in the Chickasaw ma
ton. respectfully petition congres
of the United States fully conside
the rights and interests of the farm
ers in their unexpired leasehold
and to not enforce the provision
4