The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-05-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
OF 1INERAL LEASES
A COMPLICATED AFFAIR.
Catelemen's Request for More Time Un-
heeded-Stanley Gets After Dawes
Commission and Secretary
Hitchcock COncurs.
Special to the Ardmoreite.

1he Secretary OF the Interior has
been kept busy during the week
considering questions coming up
before his Office relating to the
Territory. The questions of ap-
proving mineral leases in the Cher
okee and Greek nations. the prepa-
ration of tribal rolls, appeals from
citizens to intervene in behalf of
the cattlemen in the Greek nation,
driving the cattle out by order of
the territorial courts, and similar
questions have been before the
Secretary for his consideration.
One of the most important prob
lens pending before the Office for
the Territory at the present time
relates to the approval of mineral
leases in the Cherokee nation.
Already large number of applica-
tions have been made, one party,
W. j. Linn, of Kansas City, Mis-
souri,, submitting l12 bids for min
eral leases. The Curtis law limits
the acreage covered by single bid
to 640 acres, but under the con-
struction placed upon the law by
the Interior Department one man
can submit as many bids for leas-
ing mineral lands as he may desire.
Each lease, however, must be ac-
cOmpanied by one hundred dollars.
and Mr.. Linn has already placed
on file in the Interior Department
a certified check for SILL POO to
cover the leases which he has sub
mitted proposals for. These leases,
if approved, will give to Mr.. Linn
alone the exclusive right to operate
on more than $4,000 acres of land
in the Cherokee nation. He could,
if he SO elected, make bids for suf-
ficient to take in all the lands in
the nation. The question, there
fore, has become an exceedingly
complicated one, and the Secretary
has referred it to the Attorney
General for the Interior Depart
ment for his decision. The ques-
ton of the leasing of any lands IN
the nation, therefore, depends up
on Judge Nandevanter' decision.
~
The Secretary of the Interior has
refused to consider any Of the COM
plants being received at the office
against the enforcement of Judge
Springer decision in the Chero-
kee freedmen's case. The Secre-
tary holds that the Department has
no right or authority to interfere
with the Judiciary in the exercise
of their official duties. If the par
ties are not willing to accept the
decision of Judge Springer, they
have their recourse in an appeal to
the supreme court of the United
States In the event Judge Spring
er refuses to grant the petition
they should then secure a writ of
certiorari, and thus secure final de-
cision by the Supreme Court.
Xxx
Numerous appeals have been
pouring in upon Secretary Hitch
cock from the cattlemen of the
Greek nation, asking additional
time in which to remove their cat
tie. The Secretary, however, holds
that the matter is now with the
attorney general and district at
torney, and that the Department
here cannot interfere.
~
Richard Adams, the Washington
representative of the Delaware In
dians, has called the attention of
the Secretary of the Interior to the
fact that the Dawes Commission is
preparing to make citizenship rolls
for the Cherokee nation and to al
lot their lands without complying
with the provisions of the Curtis
law which stipulate that l57, ,000
acres of land should be set aside
for the Delaware Indians. Secre-
tary Hitchcock has already called
upon the Dawes Commission for
information upon the subject.