The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-05-30
INDIAN TtQaTOR1 LEGISLATION.
GREAT PRESSURE ON CHEROKEE
TREATY AT THIS SESSION.
Amendments to the Bill-Certain Kansas
Corporation Laws for the Territory.
Timber Cutting and Stone Mining
Must be by Permission Only.
Special co the Ardmoreite.

Washington, d. C., May 2S.-The
greatest pressure is being brought to
bear on congress to secure the rati-
fication of the Cherokee treaty at
this session. While there seems to
be no probability that this will be ac-
complished, sufficient progress is be-
ing made to warrant a conclusion of
the work next winter. The house
committee last Thursday favorably
reported thu agreement with num-
Der of amendments. In explanation
of the treaty the committee says:
"This bill is to ratify the agree
ment made with the Cherokee tribe.
In 1898 provision was made for the
appointment of commission to ne
gotiate with the five civilized tribes
in the Indian Territory, since which
time every possible effort has been
made to secure agreements with each
of said tribes which would terminate
the tribal governments of said tribe
of Indians in said Territory, There
are now over 300, GOO white people in
said Territory and only about &c, 900
Indians, of which about 25,000 belong
to 1.-THE Cherokee tribe. The agree
ment which is ratified by this bill
provides for the allotment of lands
! belonging to said tribe so as to give
each member an equal share of the
of the whole. in value, as near as
may be.
sit requires each member to select
forty acres for a homestead. Under
the agreement the allottee may sell
his land after five years, but until
the expiration of such time he is not
permitted to sell said surplus without
the consent of the secretary of the
interior.
On account of the unsettled condi-
ton of affairs in the Territory, it is
important that this agreement be
ratified as soon as possible.
If this agreement is approved, the
Indians will know just what they
may expect from the government,
The white people in the Territory
will be able to secure title to lands
in cities and towns and arrange for
a system of taxation which will en-
able them to establish schools for
their children.
The principal amendments to the
bill relate to the leasing of oil lands
in the nation. Under this amend
ment the whole question of leasing
the oil, coal, asphalt and other min
erals on the unalloted and unsettled
portions of the land within the
Cherokee nation is referred to the
secretary of the interior who is di-
rected to prescribe rules and regu-
latlons for the approval of such
leases.
This agreement provides for the
surveying, laying out, and selling OF
town lots.
Proper provision is made for the
completion OF the rolls of member
ship.
Ample provision is made for the
! oCdOOiS Vi Sdlu HdlIOH.
Under the agreement the tribal
I government is not to continue longer
than March 4, 1906, the year in which
the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribal
governments also expire.
The various claims of the Cherokee
nation are referred to the court oil
claims.
The leases are for period not
to exceed fifteen years. and are
to cover not more than one hundred
acres of land. Former leases made
between the nations and corpora
tions, for the development of OF
wells, are ratified subject to the ap
proyal of the secretary of the in
terror.
In cases where individuals have
excess of land, and have made i'm
provements thereon, the treaty con
fers upon him the authority to dis
pose of his property to any other cit
izen, who may thereupon select
lands so as to include such improve
ments. In the event that improve
ments are placed upon land under
cultivation, and it transpires that the
occupant is not entitled to the lanC
the improvements are to be apprais.
ed by the appraisement board.
-
The house has passed bill putting
in force in the Indian Territory Ger.
tain provisions of the laws of Kan.
sas relating to corporations. The
laws referred to are contained in
$50 and the succeeding sections dowr
to and including section 1895, as
published in 1884 in the volume
known as Mansfield's Digest of the
statutes of Arkansas.
~
The senate has passed a bill
amending the act granting pensions
to the survivors of the Black Hawk
war, Greek war, and Cherokee dis
turbances and the Seminole war ap.
proved July %, 1892 so as to include
all persons who served in the Indian
wars in the country.
Senator Thurston of the committee