The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-15
DOLLNER Is 10 AID
Dennis Flynn in His Fight for
Free Homes.
THAT BEFORE STATEHOOD
Henderson Counted 0n--Indian
Land Opening Coming.

Yesterday William Grimes. chairman OF
the territorial Republican central COM
mittee, and Delegate Dennis Flynn, came
to Wichita TO have a conference with
Congressman Dolliver of Iowa. on the
matter Of free homes for Oklahoma The
conference was held at the Carey hotel
and after it was concluded both Mr..
Flynn and Mr.. Grimes expressed them
| selves as highly pleased over the assur-
| ance given by Congressman DoIliver. Mr..
| Dolliver said when the subject was
| preached to him: Dennis, 1 will have to
help you on free homes this time. 1t is
| right"
Mr.. Flynn WENT on at length to show
him why Oklahoma was entitled to this
act from the territory and government,
to prove to him that the government had
already received from Oklahoma almost
as much as it had paid for the lands, for
which it has demanded reimbursement
from the settler, that the settlers who
had undergone pioneer privations were
entitled to be treated fairly by Washing
ton.
After he had received Congressman
Delivers assurance of help the congress-
man from Oklahoma was greatly encour-
aged and said to a reporter for the Eagle
with eyes beaming: Congressman Dol
liver's support means a great deal, as he
is one of the ablest and brightest men,
not only in congress, but in the entire
country. I feel more confident than ever
that the free homes bill will pass. I am
going down to Washington this month,
and next month I am going in for the
passage of that bill"
The support of Congressman Dolliver
for the free homes measure means that
free homes will have a friend in the
speakers chair something it did not
have in the last years of Thomas Brack-
EFT Reeds reign. The next speaker is
Congressman Henderson OF Iowa. and one
of his right-hand men will be Mr.. Dol
liver. He will be able to do a great deal,
and Speaker Henderson, who is a wes-
tern man himself and knows what rough
ing it in a new country means, will prob
ably lend his powerful aid to the measure
without hesitation. Mr.. Dolliver also will
have in luence with the whole Iowa dele
CATION. which is a large and influential
one in congress. Mr.. Lacey and several
others on the Iowa delegation have help
e5 Oklahoma on the free homes question
hitherto and they will ge reinforced.
Yesterday Mr. Grimes, who was present
ar the interview, said: 1.-THE people of
Oklahoma have always backed Dennis
Flynn in his fight for free homes. What
I mean by that is that they have gone to
work individually on the congressman and
senators of their former states. They
have written personal letters to those
congressman and senators urging them to
help the measure out. 1t has been a ire
mendous aid to Flynn before. If he is
to win, the campaign of letters must be
resumed. I hope that the people will take
it up with the same old energy and get
their letters off to Washington. The fight
has been a long one, but, Of all times,
this is not the time to lay down, but
to go in more vigorously than ever The
assurance of help from Mr.. Dolliver
means a whole lot. He is one of the big.
brainy men of congress. He is going to
help, and I am glad we have seen and
talked to him.
Yesterday Mr.. Dolliver was asked by a
reporter for the Eagle If he were in favor
of statehood for Oklahoma. and he an
swered: Not yet The territory, guess.
can wait awhile longer, and besides.
we've got to help Dennis on this free
homes"
Congressman Flynn, in the course of an
interview with a reporter for the Eagle |
said that the dispatch from Washington
yesterday stating that the supreme court
would hear the controversy of the Choc-
taws and Chfckasaws March l, next was
the last step to opening the Wichita
Kiowa and COmanche countries, a matter
Of vital Importance to many in Oklahoma
Kansas and Texas who have long awaited
that event.
The Cherokee commission. made up of
Jerome, Wilson and aSyre. made a treaty
with the Wichitas, the Kfowas and the
Comanche Indians. where in the Indians
agreed to take their lands in severaIty
The commissioners wanted to pay. on be-
half of the government. 80 cents per
acre to the Wichitas and Caddoes. The
Indians wanted 50 cents. No agreement |
being reached the Indians consented to
leave the matter to congress- Delegate |
Flynn put a bill through congress pro- |
vtding for the opening OF the Wichita
country 70 settlement. the Indians to re-
ceive what the government received from
the settlers, namely Sl.25 an acre. There |
upon the Choctaws and the Chickasaws !
put in a claim that the Wichita land was |
not the Wichita's land in fact. but. as |
part of 1.-The district the property Of the /
Ch0ctaws and Chickasaws, and that. after |
allotment and settlement. the s1.25 an |
acre. paid by the settler 70 the govern /
ment, should be paid by the government. !
not to the Wichitas. but to the Chootaws /
and Chickasaws. This was taken 70 the I.
court Of claims in Washington and the (
court % claims decided that the money. /
the Sl25 per acre. should be paid TO the 4
Chickasaws and Choctaws. The govern
menJ. on behalf OF the Wichita Indians. |
appealed to the United States supreme /
court. and this court has set the case |
for hearing March /. next. The matter |
VIII be submitted on briefs and the de- /
cision viii be handed down soon after. 1
50 that along in the fall y 1900 the whole /
country viii be allotted and not long I
thereafter the Wichita country will he 4
thrown open and congress viii ratify the /
Kiowa and Comanche treaty.
The KioNa and Cog1anche country Is I