The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-18
KICKING ON HITCHCOCK
Is General in All Quarters
Save Among COwmen.
SUPREME COURT JUDGES
lake Up the Protest-What
J. H. WOlvertOn Says.

Guthrie, o. T. Feb. I7.-Pr0tests con-
un0e 10 pour into Washington n answer
10 the report or Secretary Hitchcock to
the United States senate concsralax the
character Of land IN the Kiowa and Com
anche reservat ion. IL viii be remembered
that il this report the secretary charac-
terized but $3.50 acres Of the land as nt
for agricultural purposes. the remaining
2eeaee0 acres being suitable only for
grazing. A number OF prominent oklaho-
mans have written 10 the senate commit.
tee, taking issue with the showing made
by Secretary Hitchcock. among them
Chief Justice Burford OF the supreme
court and Associate Justice john L. Nc
Atee.
The chief justice in his letter said: MY
attention has recently been called TO he
report OF the secretary of the interior.
concerning the opening os the KioAa and
Comanehe reservations to settlement. In
THIS report the secretary states Tat a
large portion Of this reservation is an
suited Tor agricultural purposes. and
much Of Il unit for grazing. II is very
/ evident that 'the secretary has received
his Information from special agents. "a
dian agents and cattlemen. who are inter
ested in preventing these lands from be-
/ Ing opened 70 settlement I am person
ally acquainted with a considerable par
ton Of the lands IN this reservation hav-
ing passed through and crossed yer -
well as hunted in the reservation a 1ufr-
Der OF times. The honorable secretary
has been misinformed and -uisled bv NJ,
Information he has received. The tratb
Is that there is large number OF well
cultivated farms in this reservation. ufou
which there has never been a total fall
ure OF crops. In my judgment. II the real
facts were known 70 congress and the IN
terror department. these lands would be
opened 20 settlement az a very early dav
and the eattlemen who have for years
controlled the Indians Indian agents
and special agents. would be compelled
70 remove their herds and give way 10 a
higher civilization"
Associate Justice McAtee wrote in psyt.
Il have been Identified with interests -
the Indian Territory and with the hi
tory Of the settlement OF Oklahoma sin.s
March, 1873. and am we'll acquainted Win
the character OF the respective portions
of the territory. The Kiowa. Comanche
and Apache lands are OF very great In
/ e-'i'ot- NatHr ~ lands. The
people Of this section have Iond desired
to have them opened for the purpose OF
settlement as homesteads The with
holding Of these lands from settlement
and their occupation by -cattlemen e. ex-
tremeiy unpopular here. and Il REGARDED
as avielation or public Interest II f. gen.
orally believed IN the territory that they
have been withheld from settlement
through the influence % few wealth.
eattlemen. who control The Indian chiefs
and head men, and misrepresent the con-
diuon OF things to those IN authority IN
Washington"
William McKinnon. Of Hardin. o T..
writes: The report OF the secretary Is
very accurate from the cattlemen's point
Of view. and will DOUBTLESS be read By
them with pleasure for these rnlsstate-
ments vii lenable them 70 secure a re-
newal Of their leases: butte an expert
enced person Hike myself. who has ex-
plored the mountains and footed tho
length and breadth Of thfs country. this
description 81 the available lands Sor
agricultural purposes ts beyond al reason
and can only 90 ascribed % a person hav-
Ing no knowledge 81 the country what
ever am willing % swear that ;hsre
are more acres of good agricultural land
in the kiowa and Comaache countrs
than can possibly be found IN any part
OF Oklahoma containing the same area.
It's mineral resources are greater than au
the rest Of Oklahoma"