The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-03-15
APPROPRIATIONS fOh INDIANS
SENATE COMMITTEE TAKES I'M
PoRTANT CHANGES.
Allowance for the work of the Dawes
Commission Increased From $780,
900 TO $50. .OOO-Important su-
prem- Court Hearing.

Washington, MdTcl 10 ne ScE-
ate committee on Indian affairs has
finished the consideration of the In
dian appropriation bill, and it win
be reported to the senate tomorrow.
The senate committee has made
some important changes in the
house bill. The most important
change is the increase of the appro-
priation for the work of the Dawes
commission from $500, ZOO to s64O, 900.
Mr.. Tams Bixby, of the commits
sion, appeared before the committee
and strongly recommended the
appropriation. He said that there
were thousands of people in the Ter
ritory now waiting for their allot
ments and until the allotments were
completed progress toward a stable
government would be slow. At the
present time chaos prevailed in the
Indian Territory The sooner the
existing situation was ended the bet
ter it would be for all persons con-
cerned. He thought the commission
would be able to use $40, 900 during
the coming year, and with this
amount the work of the commission
could be we'll advanced toward COM
pletion. The committee decided to /
vote the appropriation suggested by
Mr.. Bixby, the sentiment of the |
members of the committee being that |
the deplorable condition of affairs at
present existing in the Territory |
ought to be brought to an end at the
earliest date possible.
-
The committee further agreed that |
it was desirable that all the Indians |
/ in the United States who are at all |
fitted for citizenship should have
their tribal existence ended in the |
near future, and provision vas made
for the. appointment of special in
speetor and assistant to treat with |
ali such Indians with a view to hav-
ing their lands allotted to them in
severalty. An appropriation of $751;
600 was made for the sinking of ar
tesian wells upon arid Indian lands, |
so as to enable the Indians to culti- |
vate them and provide for them
selves in the same manner as their
white peighbors.
-
Upon the recommendation of In
spector Wright, of Indian Territory. |
the committee mad an appropria- |
ton of $50, 900 to stamp out smallpox
in the Indian Territory. MIR. Wright |
represented the epidemic as serious. |
The sum of $50, 900 had already
been expended by the interior de-
partment in endeavoring to arrest
the disease, and $50, 900 additional,
he said, was urgently needed.
~
An appropriation of s67 ZOO was
made to cover the expenses of the
townSite boards operating under the
provisions of the Curtis law in the
Indian Territory.
-
An appropriation of $40, 900 is made
to the Cherokees, s53 to be paid to
| each Cherokee, to reimburse them
for their removal from Georgia, Ala
bama and Tennessee.
-
An appropriation of s1s6, 200 is
made to the loyal Seminoles for
property belonging to them appro-
priated or destroyed during the civil
war. Provision is made in the bill
for the distribution among the
Chickasaws of the $4,000 now in
the United States treasury belonging
to them, and known as the "incom-
petent fund.-" This money is to be
paid out to the Chickasaws on a per
capita basis under the supervision
of the secretary of the interior.
-
The supreme court has lust COM
pleted the hearing of an Indian Ter
ritory case involving several millions
of dollars. Three days were con-
sumed in the arguments Attorney
General Griggs appeared in person
for the United States, with Mr.. Bin
ney. The Wichita Indian tribe was
represented by Walker and Lips
combe. Former Congressman
Payne argued for the Chickasqws.
The interest of the Choctaws was in
the hands of former Congressman
Jeremiah Wilson and Barnes, and
Capt. j. s. Stanley, of the Territory
The case came up from the court of |
claims, where il was decided in fa- |
vor of the Choctaws and Chickasaws. |
Immediately involved is the equity
interests of the two tribes in so much
of the Wichita reservation as may
remain after the allotment to the
members of the Wichita tribe. But |
by action of congress the Choctaw
and Chickasaw title in the great |
Kiowa and Commanche reservation |
and in Greer county is dependent |
upon this decision. To extinguist /
this title in all of the ceded lands |
affected by the suit will require the