The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-11-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.
INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMISSION
ER'S ANNUAL REPORT.
Many Recommendations for LeeisIatIon
Are Embodied In it-Mineral Leases.
Schools And Revenue Considered.
Other Important Matters.
Special TO the Ardmoreite.

Washington, Nov. 3.-The annual
report of the commissioner of Indian
affairs is now completed and will be
made public in few days. It con-
tains many interesting reeommenda-
tious for legislation on Indian mat
ters, though like former reports,
majority of it deals with the current
events of the last year.
That part of the report which 10 OF
most interest to western people re-
iates to the Indian Territory, which
I am able to give in detail. The In
dian Territory feature is divided into
three general divisions. The first
relates to mineral leases, schools
and the collection of revenue under
the Curtis law, which are now under
the control of the Indian agent and
subject to. the direction of the in
spector. The next chapter relates
to townsite matters, while the third
deals with the Dawes commission
and affairs under its direction.
The first division, under the head
of education, gives comprehensive
historical statemen of the Indians
of the Territory beginning with their
residence in Georgia, South Caro-
lima, Alabama, Tennessee, Missis-
sippi, Florida and Louisiana. 1t con-
tains extracts from the reports of
the superintendent of education in
the Territory and the supervisors
under him, which show that the con-
dition in the Indian Territory as
heretofore existing relative to the
educational system is very unsatis-
factory one and promises a great
deal of trouble.
One particular feature that the
commissioner thinks is Objectionable
is the practice that has heretofore
been in vogue il the Greek and Cher
okee nations whereby it is shown
that the educational authorities not
only draw large salaries themselves
from the respective governments of
their nations, but also have all of
their relatives of sufficient age upon
the school pay rolls irrespective of
their qualifications. Two instances
are cited where officers of the nation
al school system have in the school
employ a large number of their rela-
tives extending tt cousins of the
second degree.
Under the head of mineral leases,
the commissioner gives n history of
theIndian office and the interior de-
partment relating to the leasing of
lands in the Choctaw and Chickasaw
nations under the agreements, and
in the Creek and Cherokee nations
under the general provisions OF the
Curtis law. In discussing the leasing
in the Chickasaw and Choctaw ma
tions under the agreement the COM
missioner sets out rather fully the
position of his Office in the matter of
the minerals that may be embraced
in the laws of those nations and the
decision of the department which
shows division of opinion between
the Indian office and the department
of the interior on the question. The
Choctaw and Chickasaw agreement
provides for the reservation for
school purposes of all coal and as
phalt within the nations and for the
allotment to the citizens in accord
ance with the plan provided within
the agreement of everything else. In
one part of the agreement leases of
coal and asphalt made by the nation
are confirmed and all leases by citi-
zens are annulled, but it is provided
that, where each have been made to
embrace coal, asphalt and other min
erals, with the approval of the courts
of the United States the owners of
such leases shall have the right to
make new leases in accordance with
the agreement covering all the rights
of the old leases. The agreement
then goes on to say that all leases
under this agreement shall include
the coal and asphalt or other miner
ais, as the case may be, In or under
$50 acres and shall be for period of
thirty years. The Indian office took
the position that as under the agree
ment the allottees received fee sim
pie title except as to coal and as
phalt and only coal and asphalt are
reserved for educational purposes,
the authority of the Chickasaw and
Choctaw treaties to make leases with
the approval of the department ex-
tended only to the leases for mining
of coal and asphalt except where
leases had been approved by con-
eress. The department, however,
rules that the words contained in the
act, "all coal and asphalt or other
minerals as the case may be, !" clearly
showed the intention on the part of