Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1899-02-02
DAWES ON THE TREATY.
An Interesting Letter From
the Venerable Senator.

points out those which are re-
garded as especially advantageous
by the writer, who may be regard
ed as looking at il very much as
the average United States senator
will view it. The letter is as fjl-
lows:
"Availing myself of your per-
mission to make suggestions as to
the provisions of the agreement,
l have to say that the two main
features of the agreement, those
modifying the Curtis law, in re.
spect to allotments and townsites,
/ have considered and approved
in advance, and when that law was
pending, had endevored to have
amended in this respect. The
allotment is a great improvement,
in that it allots the whole title in
each allotment, instead of surface
merely, as it is provided in that
law, leaving the remainder of the
title still in the tribe. This has
created an anomalous title, full of
intricaeies and perplexilies, very
much impairing its value, besides
leaving undispOsed of in the tribe
an interest of hardly appreciable
value, except there be minerals,
for the disposal of which provision
is yet to be made. 1t is done,
also. by agreement instead of by
statute, thereby avoiding all pos
sible litigation as to the power of
Congress to require it to be done
without consent. This has been
a great desideratum with the COM
mission from the beginning, and
has already attained with the
Choctaws, Chickasaws and Semi
noles.
1.-THE method of equalizins the
value of allotments is new, and is
very elaborate and complicated.
| fear that it will be found very
difficult to be carried out. Other
wise it will work out equality as
near as possible. l regret to say
that it has been found necessary,
in doing this, TO use any portion
of the tribal funds. which ought to
be devoted to educational pur-
poses, public institutions and in
ternal improvements, which will,
in the near future, make large de-
mands upon their resources. Be-
sides. there should never, if it
can be avoided, be any more dis
tribution of funds per capita. 1t
has always proved waste, doing
vastly more harm than good.
"The changes in the townsite
provision of the Curtis law are all
in the line of simplicity, and for
the better securing and equitably
the right of both the
tribe and the owner of the i'm
provements, excluding the spscu-
lator from participation in en-
hanced values to which he has not
"The stipulatiOns on the part of
the United States embodied in the
agreement are of the most impor-
tant and serious character, and
may cause hesitation as TO ratifi-
cation. The commissioners were
exceedingly reluctant to concede
them; but they were a necessity,
Or the negotiations would have
proved a failure. They are, how
ever, for the best interest of tAe
territory in the near future, and
are in the line OF similar provis-
ons made by congress for the
,ther territories, and which must
De made for this sooner or later.
Especially is this true in respect
% that for education, which meets
| most pressing want, the need Of
which in all these tribes is SO
yreat that the commissioners felt
to call attention 10 it in
heir last annual report.
"The commissioners are aware
If many imperiectiOns in this
They have never been
Ible, as yet, to make one free from |
hem; but, as a whole, they are Of
he opinion that it is a great i'm |
,rovement on the existing law,
md hope it may be ratified"
With the approval of the treaty !
~ congress Vinita's fortune is
her citizens are alert and |
lctive. But the town that goes to
leep will wake up loser
The Katy will abandon its old |
hops at Sedalia on the 25th of |
his month.
Lot in block 4, Chouteau block, for
ale; apply here. !