The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-03-09
our 5ptaAL WASHINGTON LETT[Q
A BILL To PROTECT THE SMALL
TowNs IN THE TERRITORY.
Provides That improvements Shall be
ApDraIsed and Paid for Before the
|, Townsite Can be Taken as an al
Iotmee$-TaxIne Reservations.
Special tdlfhe Ardmoreite.

tee on Indian affairs of the senate, r
has INTRODUCED the following bill: v
"That tbe lands which have been C
allotted to, any Indians in seVeralty t
under the provisions of any law or c
treaty by%hich said lands are to be t
held in tsnst by the United States, 6
or are to- be exempt from taxation, {
or whichs may hereafter be al
loted to any Indians in pursuance of
an agreement with the tribe of
which heEis a member, heretofore
concluded, when such Indians under
the provIsions of any law have be-
fcome or shall become entitled to the
benefits of and subject to the laws
of any state, shall be subject to state
and locaf assessment and taxation
| the same sas any other lands similarly
flocated In such state: Provided,
I Ihowever.ss i That nothing contained
herein shall authorize the sale or en-
cumbranSb of any such land on ac-
icount of such assessment or taxation
or in anyshanper interfere with the |
trust in (which such lands are held
4 by the United States while such |
trust continues: Provided. further.
/ That hollands shall be assessed or
taxed under the provisions of this
act for ia period of FIVE years from
the date of the approval of the al
lotments: And provided further,
That during the continuance of said
! trust or exemption said taxes so
4 assessed and levied shall be paid
from the truasury of the United
States to the county treasurer, or
other legally authorized officer of the
4 county or municipality to which such
taxes are payable, at such time as
said taxes shall become due and pay
able: And also provided further,
e That said taxes shall only be paid
e on the receipt of the sworn state
ment OF the county treasurer or 9TH
er legally authorized officer of the
% county or municipality to which such
N taxes are payable, showing that such
-, tax has been legally assessed and
levied, and that said tax is then due
and payable, and the sworn state
ment of the United States Indian
~ agent, or, if there be no agent, OF
II some officer of the United States
re designated by the secretary of the
interior, that the land upon which
such taxes have been levied have not
ne been assessed at higher rate thar
tv other lands in the vicinity similarly
located and improved, accompanied
by the certificate of the secretary O.
oe the interior, that said lands are with
in the state and county described il
said statement, and that the lands
In therein described have been allotted
be in severalty."
Id Section provides that from anC
Ia after the passage Of this act there
shall be paid annually, from an.
moneys in the treasury not other
l. wise appropriated, such sum as shall
~ be necessary to pay said taxes certi
up fed under section one of this act.
e. ~
to Senator Thurston has also intro
III duced the following bill relating t.
citizenship in the various tribes
which is of particular interest at thi
oo time:
- That that portion of the act o
August Is, 1894, found on page 305 o
us Twenty-eighth Statutes at Largo, b.
ng amended so as to read as follows:
he "That all persons who are in Who'll
o0 or in part of Indian blood or descen
who are entitled to an allotment O
land under any law of congress, o
who claim to be entitled to Ian
under any grant made by congress
va or who claim to have been unlaw
aS fully denied or excluded from an
nd allotment or any parcel of land t
is which they claim to be lawfully en-
titled by virtue of any act of cor
gress, may commence and prosecut
or defend any action, suit or pre-
ceeding in relation to their righ
DE- thereto in the proper circuit court c
as the United States; and said circu
nd courts are hereby given jurisdictio
m to try and determine any actor
suit, or proceeding arising With
'"U their Jurisdiction involving the rigt
'r of any person, in whole or in pal
rs. of Indian blood or descent, to an
allotment of land under any law c
TIE treaty, and in said suit the partie
oil thereto shall be the claimant a
plaintiff and the United States a
" party defendant: and the judgmer
lts or decree of any such court in favo
on of any claimant to any allotment {
lst land shall have the same effec
in when properly certified to the secrt
tary of the interior, as if such allo
N ment had been allowed and approx
on ed by him, but this provision sha
zen not apply to any lands now held b
Ike either of the five civilized tribes
The nor to any of the lands within tn
Quapaw Indian Agency: Provided
That the right of appeal shall be a
on lowed to either party as in othe
is cases.