Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1900-11-28
ANNUAL REPORT OF
The INDIAN INSPECTOR
He Recommends Changes In
the Existing Laws.
CONFUSION NOW REIGNs

Present Method of Administering Ter
ritory Affairs Is Very Unsatisfac-
tory-Governors of the Chickasavs
aud Choctaws Enter Protest.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27.-The annual
report of the United States Indian in
spector for Indian Territory calls atten-
ton to the fact that the territory, en-
bracing nearly 20, 900, 600 acres, is owned
in common by citizens or the various
tribes, comprising Indians, negroes and
inter-marr1ed whites, aggregating 3d.
$50 people, including freedmen, within
the borders of which also are located
some $4,000 whites, or noncitizens,
who have no title to property and are
without representation in the govern
ment of the territory.
Until the lands are appraised and al
lOtted by the commission to the five CIV
ilized tribes, lands i'll town sites dis
posed of, and tribal governments have
become extinct, certain laws of Arkan-
sas are extended over Indian Territory.
Federal laws apply i'll other instances
and the secretary of the interior is
charged by law with the enforcement
of rules and regulations governing other
matters. Such a condition renders
affairs so complicated that it is not sur
prising when courts and eminent law
yers differ as to the proper construction
of the law, that the people are fire.
apply or who is authorized to enforce
them.
In view of the combined refusal of
non-citizeus within the Chickasaw and
Choctaw nations to comply with the
tribal laws, and of the fact that the
only remedy is to remove them, the e.
port recommends that congress prescribe
a penalty, the same as in the states, for
seizure and sale of property sufficient to
pay taxes due, or that some other meth
cd be adopted to compel payment other
than removal, provided these tribal
tax laws are to be in force for six years
hence
The Governors Protest.
The governors of the Chickasaw and
Choctaw nations recently submitted a
joint communication to the interior de-
partment protesting against the manner
of surveying and plating towns provid-
ed in the Indian appropriation act,
claiming it to be in violation of their
agreement. Town site commissioners
were then instructed, wherever the
town desired, and it is in the interest of
the towns to plat suitable park at $40
per acre, and that 10 acres should be
deemed sufficient.
Recommendation is made for modifi-
cation of section of the Curtis act, so
as to authorize the secretary of the inte-
rior to investigate land Improvement
contracts and remove non citizens, Civ
ing the latter the right to appeal to the
United States government to regain pos
session. Other recommendations are
that the present system and rate of taxes
be superseded by uniform system fixed
upon non-citizens engaged in business to
be collected by rules and regulations Of
the interior department, and used for
the common good; the withdrawal of a
sufficient amount of the Cherokee ma
ton funds from the United States treas
ury to pay all their outstanding indebt-
edness, and additional legislation pro-
viding that until allotment citizens may
rent their proportion of agricultural or
grazing land for such purpose only.