The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-02-08
.DUH(O LEGISLATION FOQ TERRITORY
VICIOUS BILLS WHICH ARE NOW
PENDING IN CONGRESS.
Two Measures which Would Add to
the Complications and Which Are
UnspsrIneiy Condemned by Con-
Rres.men From All Sections.

Washington, Fob. 6. = Evolu-
ton from chaos in the Indian Ter
ritOry is diseouragingly slow. The
chairman of the committee on In
dian affairs told the house one day
last week he had hopes that, with
liberal appropriations, the work of
allotting lands to the individual
Indians might be completed within
five years. But this prospect does
not take into account the stimulus
tn litigation which certain proposed
legislation would supply. AT the
present session of congress several
bills have been introduced well cal
culated to increase the confusion
and prolong the unsettled condi-
tions. If those bills should be-
come laws the present generation
might expect to see, until it passes
off the stage, the territory continue
as now.
Fortunately, these bills have no
chance of getting beyond the com
mittees to which they have been
referred. They are condemed I'M
sparingly by senators and repre-
sentatives who have looked into
them and by the officials of the in
terror department and the Indian
office. But, while they will never
reach enactment, and probably
never emerge from the committee
room, they carry certain element
of danger.
Members of congress and officials
of the departments point out that,
upon the introduction of such pro-
positions, INSCRIPTIONS persons
will deceive the innocent, and will
secure considerable sums of money.
Introduction of bills into congress
has developed form of swindling.
Bills to pension eX slaves.have been
offered, with the understanding
that they could never go any far
ther. The fact of introduction has
been made the basis for the cOllec-
ton of fees from thousands of un
fortunate blacks whose hopes were
raised by it. In similar way it
is understood that the presentation
of several bills relating to the In
dian Territory is being used to Sc
cure fees from those who are per-
suaded that these measures may
become law.
One of the bills which is pro-
nounced especially vicious by those
best qualified to speak is to pro-
vide for an additional enrolment
of Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee
and Greek Indians.
Congress several years ago sci
the time when all claims to citizen.
ship should be filed, and furnished
elaborate machinery to secure al
of these Indians in their rights
The work of enrolment proceeded
and the limit within which claim!
could be flied was passed. Thi:
bill proposes to waive the limit anC
to let in claimants who have sine,
come forward. 1t directs the sec
retary of the interior to put on tn,
rolls these barred claimants, VIII,
shall show to his satisfaction tha
they are "Choctaw or Chickasav
Indians by blood" The secretar,
is to do this without any regar,
to the fact that they for any caus
failed to make such application
prior to September s. 1896"
Another section directs the sec
retary to put upon the Cherokee
, and Creek rolls all persons VIII,
, have been rejected by the Dave
committee bill, who, upon appea
to the district court of the north
ern district of the Indian Territory
| have judgments of court or judg
; ments based upon the reports o
;; the special master approved b
said court Of finding that they ar
: Cherokee and Greek Indians"
d A clause of this section declare
] that the etary shall put bac
r upon the rolls after investigatio
1 those who have been stricken of
d Still another provision lets in tho:
. who failed to make applicatiO
' within the time specified. In shor
d the bill is aimed to reopen wide Il
g doors to enrolment. 1t furth,