Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-14
OTOE AND MISSOURI LANDS
Congressman Stark Gives Out Statement
Concerning Them,
FOR SETTLEMENT IS MADE
II IL Vow Before the Proper Commit
tee and II Adopted VIII lie Fair
Both to Indians and
Government.

tee and II Adopted VIII lie Fair
Both to Indians and
Government.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1S.-(special Tele-
gram $50 much has been said recently
about the Otoe and Missouri lands in Gage
county, Nebraska, and Republic county
Kansas. that Judge Stark, in whose district
these lands lay, in part, feeling that misrep-
reservations were liable to prejudice the
case not only in Nebraska but in Washing
ton where efforts are being made to adjust
difficulties between the Indians and the set
tiers, ordered the following statement
"a proposition of settlement has been SUB
mitted on behalf of the settlers, which was
in effect that the actual market value Of the
lands at the time Of sale should be ascer-
tanned in a public way by the government
Indian inspector; that 20 per cent should be
added thereto: that simple interest at . per
cent per annum from date of sale should be
computed on that amount and after giving
credit for all payments should stand as the
amount due from the settlers to the Indians,
and that the same should be paid within
ninety days after notice to settlers from the
Indian office of the amount due; that where
lands had been fully paid for any excess over
should be credited to such settlers. This
settlement can be had under act of congress
of March 3, 1898, provided that the Indians
consent thereto.
Indians Give Assent.
at is understood that the Otoe and Mis-
souri, Indians at a tribal council, by large
majority, assented to this plan of settle
ment. This settlement is % per cent more
hn of al
lowed. in view of the fact that the statute
stated that only market value was to be
paid. While this matter was before the
tribal council attorneys in Washington be-
gan a crusade on the Indians to get them to
not agree to the proposition on the ground
that they were being wronged, and small
majority is coming to Washington to appear
before the secretary Of the interior in the
matter. This always happens in settle
ments of Indian matters, because when the
dispute is closed there is no further chance
to charge attorneys fees and this is a con-
siderable item.
"A committee to which the settlement has
been referred has reported favorably on
the same and all such bills were re-enact-
ments of the law of 1898, leaving out that
cured and it was found that
no settlement could be made
because of outside parties meddling
with the Indians for pure gain. If the law
| of 1893 had not contained a clause that the
| consent of the Indians had to be obtained
| the matter would have been settled long
since. The settlement as proposed is fair
| equitable and generous to the Indians and
the government as their trustee and l car
only hope it will be fully consummated
without resort to the slow progress of cor
| rective legislation or an appeal to the
courts"
| Judge Stark further expressed himself as
having all confidence in the ability of AS
sistant Secretary Ryan Of the Interior de-
partment to care for every right of the gov
ernment, the Indian and the settler in this
matter He ,egards him as peculiarly wei
fitted because of his wide experience il
these matters.
Nebraska Boys Bravery.
Nebraskans are always interested in thu
doiugs of the First Nebraska regiment
boys, who saw such hard and arduous ser
vice in the Philippines. Judge Stark, wh'
was instrumental in securing a certificate
of merit for distinguished service on th'
part of Lawrence B. Conner, Company e
First Nebraska has just received lette
from the father of the young man, Dr. Con
ner of Paua, ILL.,, in which the doctor state
that Bert Lawrence) was very retiring
modest young fellow, thoroughly gentle AM
was fond of children and flowers. This i
in startling contrast to his action on tn
battlefield for it is understood that he wa
shot through the lung and, notwithstand
ing copious bleeding Of his wound, he fol
lowed the flag and won distinguished men
tion from his company, regiment and bri
gade officers.
Congressman Gamble of South Dakota to
day introduced bills for the relief of JohI
: H. Mclaughlin and Peter Lynch OF his con
gressional district.
Under the resolution adopted westerda
that committee of ten members of tn
house be appointed by the speaker who shal
act with a like committee appointed by tn
president, senate and citizens of the Dis
trict of Columbia, to prepare plans for
proper national celebration Of the first ses
sion of congress in the District of Columbi
aud the establishment of the seat of gov
ernment therein. Speaker Henderson toda
appointed Congressman Gamble OF Sout
Dakota as one of the ten. He also desia
mated Mr.. Gamble to act as speaker pro tel
over the session OF the house tonight, hayin
under consideration tho currency bill
south Dakotans Favored.
The members OF the South Dakota delega
S ton, Gamble and Burke, have received tele
e grams from Mitchell, where the Stat
3 Dairymen's and Buttermaker's assocatio
e was in convention, asking them: "ln tn
interests of the dairy industry of South Da
3 kota and the country and the resulting bene
y At to all, your constituents ask you to eS
tend your best efforts to secure the passaG
of bill taxing oleomargarlne 10 cents pt
pound" The telegram was signed by
L Stewart, chairman OF the association.
', Congressman Cushman OF Tacoma, Wash
and who succeeds Ham Lewis, amused h
, | colleagues today in his maiden speech
the house by a pleasant reference to W.
Bryan whom he said he knew intimatel
, when he lived in Nebraska. Cushman at or
time resided In Bassett Rock county, whel
he practiced law. During his residence
Nebraska, Cushman became interested in Il
celebrated Neal murder case, which WI
then uppermost in everybody's mind, al
n went to Omaha to take a hand in the ca
n for Neal, having as he believed, discovert
Al good reasons why Meals case should
n taken to the supreme court OF the Unite
8 States on the failure OF the grand jury
IF indict, Later, Cushman says, he found tn
bia nosition was untenable and he Wel