The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1899-07-25
FIGHT FOR FINAL DECISION OF
CITIZENSHIP CASES STILL ON.
McKennon of the Dawes Commission at
the CapitaI-Secretery Hitchcock Still
Claims the Final Decision Shall Be
iIs-Case Attracts Attention.
Special to the Ardmoreite.

appeal in citizenship cases from
the decision of the Dawes commits
sion. Particularly is this so in re-
lation to the approval of the Mis-
sissippi Choctaw rolls, which were
received at the department about
the first of the present month.
AS already stated in this cores
pondence the Dawes commission
have insisted that they had exclu-
sive jurisdiction of citizenship
cases and that from their decision
there was no appeal. SO obstinate
were they in maintaining this view
that it was only upon the receipt
of a peremptory demand from the
Secretary of the Interior that they
agreed to forward the records in
all rejected Mississippi Choctaw
cases disposed of by the commission.
1t was supposed at that time that
this practically settled the matter,
but last Friday Mr.. McKennon, a
member of the Dawes commission,
arrived in the city and has had
several consultations with Secre-
tary Hitchcock. He insists that
under the 10Th section of the Cur
It's act there is no appeal from the
decision of the Dawes commission
in these eases. Why it is that the
Dawes commission are opposed to
the secretary's reviewing their ac-
ton in these eases cannot be I'M
derstood by Secretary Hitchcock or
the officials at the department.
But Mr.. McKennon takes the posi-
ton that he is only insisting upon
a strict adherence to the plain let
ter Of the law. Secretary Hitch
cock, however, views it in another
light. If the Dawes commission
are correct in the conclusion reach
ed in regard to the contested citi-
zenship cases no harm can result
from further examination of the
cases by the Secretary of the In
terror. Mr.. Mckennon, for some
reason, does not concur in this
opinion aud is still trying to in
duce the secretary to relent and al
low the decisions of the Dawes
commission to be final. Thus far
he has been unable to make any
impression on Secretary Hitch
cock, Or the commissioner of In
dian affairs and it is practically
certain that his visit to Washing
ton will prove fruitless.
The stubbornness with which the
members of the Dawes commission
have contested the right of the Sc
cretary of the Interior to examine
into these eases has attracted un-
usual interest to them.
~
Mr.. Bledsoe, of Ardmore, has
been in Washington for the past
week in consultation with the Of
fcials Of the Indian office in regard
to the approval of asphalt leases in
the Chickasaw nation. Thus far
no asphalt leases have been made
i'll either of the two nations, and it
is doubtful whether any will be
Notwithstanding the decision of
Attorney General Van Devanter
that the secretary clearly has an
undisputed right to approve such
leases if submitted to the depart
ment in proper form.
Thus far 80 coal leases have
been approved in the Chickasaw
and Choctaw nations, 30 being
secured by the Choctaw, Oklahoma
& Gulf Railway company, and
eight by John F. McMulling.
Each of these leases comprise 960
acres. the royalty paid to the tribe
being 10 cents per ton. Several
additional applications for coal
leases have been recently received,
but have been returned for the ap-
proval of the mineral trustees.
The New Hampshire senators
have not fought C duel yet, and