The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-11-26
our vtthLr WASHINGTON LETTER
CONGRESS WILL TACKLE TERRI
TORY AFFAIRS SOON.
Commissioner of Indian Affairs VIII
use an Effort to Secure Some Leg.
islatlon-The Tribal Tax Law
Will LalI for Special Bill.
special to the Ardmoreite.

effort will be made during the COM
ing session of congress to etraighten
out some Of the tangles in the laws
which bave been enacted, and the |
rules which have been promulgated
by the anterior department relating |
to the government of the five civil
lied nations in the Indian Territory. |
By reason of the enactment of laws
by congress which are susceptible to
different interpretations, and the is- |
suance of conflicting orders from |
time to time by the interior depart |
ment, a condition bordering on chaos |
exists In four of the five nations In
the Territory. 1t is the intention of
the commissioner of Indian affairs
to secure some legislation this win
the Territory q uniform system of
laws and thus relieve them from the
endless embarrassment to which
they are now subjected.
How far this change will extend Is
problematical, but 1t seems as though
very little can be accomplished in
the way of legislation on only one or
more subjects without taking in the
Territory as q whole and carefully
considering all the laws relating to
it. AS the coming session of con-
eress will last but three months
there would not be sufficient time to
formulate and pass q measure Of this
magnitude. But the complications
which have arisen in the Territory
during the last year, particularly
with relation to the enforcement OF
the laws, have been SO vexatious
that it is believed the whole subject
will be handled In q thorough and
} comprehensive bill at the next ses-
sion.
An attempt will be made as soon
as congress convenes to draft bill
which will eliminate the present
complications arising over the en-
forcement OF the tribal taxes. 1t is
admitted by those who have given
the subject careful consideration
that it is surrounded by so many
legal difficulties that the only way
by which these complications can be
Q removed Is by the passage OF law
by congress repeating the tribal
taxes. But even here q serious stu
alton confronts the advocates OF this
proposition. Congress has guaran-
y teed to the Coctaw, Chickasaw and
Seminole nations the continuance OF
their tribal forms of government fol
a term of years and the right to en-
Y nues for the maintenance of their
8 private institutions. The levying oi
taxes on merchants doing business
in the nations is one of their modes
of raising revenue and it is doubtful
whether congress legally has the
t power to arbitrarily say to those ma
: tions, without their consent, by the
O. enactment of g law, "You shall not
, impose a tax upon the merchants
transscting business in your OWE
q country"
Those who have carefully studied
the question believe that it would be
almost impossible for ccngressI tc
S strengthen the laws now on the
statute books with relation to the
collection of taxes ON foreigners
transacting business or the lands o.
an Indian tribe. Yet it has beer
r discovered that through the courts
s in Indian Territory the collection o.
Il taxes levied under tribal laws car
. either not be collected or indefinite
ly postponed. Chairman Sherman
of the committee on Indian affairs o
l. the house, and Representative
It Curtis, the second ranking member
r on the committee. will take up thii
- question the latter part of the weel
:, and endeavor to formulate a bill
= which will meet the requirements o
Ie the situation.
e Further efforts will be made at tn,
IS coming session to secure the ratifi
cation of the Creek and Cheroke,
treaties by congress. Both thes
treaties have passed the house AM
is are now awaiting action by the sen
ate. There are so many objections
~ however to each OF the agreement
Is that their ratification by the senat
2 during the three months in whicl
le it will be in session seems exceeding
, ly doubtful.
- In addition to Incorporation to thes
- treaties there is disposition anon
II certain members of the senate VIII
re have given careful consideration t.
is Indian Territory affairs to insist o.
u the enforcement of the Curtis act Il
:. its entirety and to defeat the treat
- les pending. 1t Is pointed out tha
III each additional treaty enacted wit
~ the nations providing for the cor
a. tinuace of their tribal forms of gov
of ernment only results in additions
complications and the raising @
vex ,.tious legal questions. For thi
reason many believe that the peopl
ne of the Territory, whites and Indian
ne alike, would be better off with tn
r the enactment of uniform lav apply
!, ing equally alike to all the nations
than under the operations of sepa