Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-02-08
INDIAN LEGISLATION.
Measure introduced Amend
ing the Curtis Bill.

] the CON illlltt on luuldh an hlIs
1t is intended to amend in severa
important provisions the Curti
law of June IS, 1898, and espeC
tally section 3 of that act.
The most important provision
of Senator Platt's bill are as fol
lows:
In all cases where any person
has held possession of or occupied
the lands of any tribe in the In
dian Territory, claiming to be (
member of such tribe, and who's,
name is not found upon any duly
authorized roll of citizenship o
the tribe, and who has not beer
duly admitted to citizenship by
the Dawes commission or by the
United States court, upon appeal
from said commission or an appeal
from the legally constituted court
or committee designated by the
tribe, where application was made
to such court or committee within
the time prescribed by law, and in
all cases where a non. citizen holds
possession of or occupies lands OF
any tribe, under an agreement,
lease or improvement contract,
with either of said tribes, or any
citizen thereof, which lease or i'm
provement contract has been ter
minated or made void by section
% of the act of June IS, 1898, and
all other persons who hold pos
session of or occupy lands belong
ing to any tribe in said territory,
without authority or in violation
of law shall forthwith vacate such
land; and any person failing so to
do for the period of thirty days
after the passage of this act, shall,
without further notice, process or
authority, be Immediately re-
moved therefrom by the Indian
agent in said territory.
And if such persons repossess or
occupy such lands or take posses
sion of or occupy other lands Of
any tribe without authority of law,
said Indian agent shall remove
him from the territory. If any
such person claim TO have made
improvements or own improve
ments upon lands, so held or oc-
cupied by him or those under
whom he hOids, the present value
of which exceeds the reasonable
rentals OF all such lands for the
time he and those under whom he
holds has so held, occupied or
used the same, he may make claim
therefore before said commission,
by petition duly verified, to which
the tribe may in like manner make
answer.
And the commission shall there
upon make careful examination of
said claim and shall decide the
same, ascertaining the present val
ue of improvements on the land
made by the claimant and those
under whom he holds and value of
the rents Of the land, for the time
they were held by the claimant
and those under whom he holds,
who made improvements as afore-
said, and deducting one from the
other, thus determine and fix the
amount which mag be due the
claimant in excess of the value of
his improvements over the rent or
the amount due by him to the
tribe for excess of the value of the
rents over the improvements. And
if no appeal be taken therefrom
within the time herein fixed, 6
duly certified transcript of the
proceedings may be filed in the
office of the clerk of the United
States court having jurisdiction,
and the same shall have the force
and effect of judgment in said
court and shall be enforced accord
ingly. If such claimant feel ag-
grieved by the decision of the COM
mission, he may, within thirty
days, appeal his case to the United
States court within whose jurisdic-
tion the lands of the tribes may be;
or the lrlDe may laKe sucn appear
and, if judgment be rendered in
claimants favor, either by said
commission or by the said
court upon appeal, the same shall
be paid out of any money belong
ing to the tribe; but if judgment
be given for the tribe, the same
shall be lien upon all property
of claimant in said territory and
shall be enforced accordingly.
In all cases where claims are
made, the tribe shall be made a
party thereto by service of notice
upon the principal chief or govern
or OF the tribe or other person so