The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-04-25
ABOUT CUTTING TIMBER.
Secretary oT lnteglor In . Letter TO in.
dian Inspectof wright ReDders
an QmlnIOms

mGnB ID IN TSC6lpI Oh your cg1AAANAA-
cation of the 22d ultimo, referring to
your former letter of the 18th ultimo,
Enclosing a copy.of n letter written by
| you to s. B. Bradford, United states
commissioner at Ardmore, in the
southern judicial district, relative to
| the prosecution of persons unlawfully
cutting and disposing of timber in
the Chickasaw nation, and now
transmitting a copy of letter from
| w. F. Robertson, dated the goth ul-
timo, inquiring in what manner he
can procure $50 cords of wood to run
his cotton gin. located in the Choc-
taw nation, and have the same de-
livered to him during the summer,
and further inquiring, "Can a native
have it cut or not?"
You further state that no reply has
been received to your report made i'll
February last, or a decision as to
whether or not such laws could be
recognized. A reference is also made
by you to the ruling of the depart
ment, wherein it is held that neither
| the Choctaw nor Chickasaw nation
has a right to dispose of the timber
standing on the public domain; and
you also state that the collector for
the Choctaw nation in the Chickasaw
nation has informed you that owners
of mills, ice plants, gins, etc., had
cut considerable quantities of wood
for operating their plants, and were
willing to pay him the royalty, but
that he was in doubt as to his au-
thority to accept the same, and you
informed him that he could accept
none, except for timber cut to sup
ply mines, and that he should report
those unlawfully cutting the same to
the United States attorney at Ard
more for proper action, and you ask
to be advised if your actions in this
matter meet the approval of the de-
partment,
The acting commissioner of Indian
affairs. in forwarding your said com
munication of the 22d ultimo, called
attention to the difficulty of arriving
at perfect legal and equitable con-
clusion in the premises beyond any
question. He further states that if
the strict letter of the law is adhered
to, the cutting of even cordwood, to
be sold to these various industries in
the nations, will be of doubtful Ie-
gality. but considering all the condi-
tions existing in the Territory. the
acting commissioner says: "That
public interest and public necessity
require that the means of carrying
on the business of cotton gins should
be supplied by the community in
which it is located" Attention is
also called to the ruling of the de-
partment: THAT the cutting of
timber in the Choctaw and Chicka-
saw nation in clearing lands or for
fuel to be used by citizens, or to be
sold to non-citizens living in the ma
tions, for the purpose of fuel. is not
a violation of the spirit of the law on
this question. and that the same rule,
by analogy, should be applied to
the cutting of cordwood for the op-
Grating of steam gins in a cotton
growing community" The acting
commissioner therefore recommends:
THAT the department considers
this question. whether or not it would
be proper to permit the citizens of
the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations
to cut cordwood, to be sold to these
gin companies in each ne:ghborhood,
for the purpose of enabling them 10
properly run their plants; of course
it being understood that when said
wood is cut proper royalties shall be
paid to the nation for the benefit of
all the people,"
Subsequent 10 the date of your
communication the department, on
March % last, acknowledged the re-
ceipt of your communication, inclos-
ing copy of the letter written by
you to S. B. Bradford, United States
commissioner for the southern dis
trict of the Indian Territory at Ard
more, L. T., in regard to the prosecu-
tion OF persons unlawfully cutting and
disposing of timber standing on the
lands~of the Chickasaw tribe of In
dians, and in your said communica-
ton you submitted said copy of your
letter to Mr.. Bradford to the depart
ment for it's information, consldera-
tion and approval" The commits
sioner of Indian affairs advised that
you be advised that your faction in
the premises is approved, the ap-
proval to be understood to apply to
the language used in his your let
ter"
In said letter of March 25, it was
said: The ruling relative to the cut.