The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-07-29
MONDAY. JULY 20. 1901.
WILL THE DRAWING BE FAlR?

WILL THE DRAWING BE FAlR7
The following IS that part of Presi-
dent McKinley's proclamation opening
to public settlement the Kiowa, Co
manche and Wichita country:
Preparatory to these drawings the
registration officers will, at the time
OF registering each applicant who
shows himself duly qualified, make
out a card, which must be signed by
the applicant, stating the land dis
trlct in which he desires to make
homestead entry and giving such
description of the applicant as will
enable the local land officers to there
after identify him. This card will be
at once sealed in a separate envelope.
which viii bear no other distinguish.
ing label or mark than such as may
be necessary 10 show that 1t is to 90
into the drawing for the land district
in which the applicant desires 60 make
entry. These envelopes will be sep
arated according 20 land districts and
will be carefully preserved and remain
sealed until opened in the course of
the drawing as herein provided.
When the registration Is completed all
of these sealed envelopes will be
brought together at the place OF draw.
ing and turned over TO the committee
in charge OF the drawing, who, in such
manner as in their Judgment viii ne
attended with entire fairness and
equality Of opportunity. shall proceed
to draw out and open the separate en-.
Felopes and to give to each enclosed
card a number in the order in which
the envelope containing the same is
drawn"
That this part OF the message has
been violated and wholly disregarded
is known. None Of the cards men.
toned were "at once" nor have they
yet been enclosed and sealed in
separate envelope They have been
rammed promiscuously into boxes at
the several booths during registration
hours and at night carried to some
place unknown to the public, and the
boxes dumped aild made ready for use
the next day. This process is gone
through with each day. To consume
mate this violation of law and make
IL more palpable these cards. which
should have been "at once" placed in
sealed envelopes, are carried TO a
building provided for the purpose and
there are being assorted by clerical
force obtained in the city who operate
not under the sacitity of an oath but
as they are directed.
The evident intent Of the president
by the wording Of the proclamation.
was 70 remove the possibility Of fraud
being committed by the cards being
tampered with or favoritsm being
shown in NE drawing It may be true.
and probably Is, that no wrong win be
committed and that the drawing win
be fair bat this disregard of the presi
dents message leaves the action of
the management open to criticism. Itl
viii create dissatisfaction as soon as
known, as It ought to. The drawing
will be some index to the fairness or
nnfairness OF this departure from the
express letter Of the law and spirit of
fairness directed by the president
That under this departure fraud can
be successfully praotIced and fayorit.
ism easily shown goes without saying
The people are awakening ana have
their eyes upon this matter and Il is
the cause OF much unfavorable com.
ment here, To add to the dlstrust OF
ehe people the management have an
nounced that the drawing win not be
in public as heretofore announced but
VIII be behind closed doors. The
people are anxiously awaiting the re.
snlt Some legal gentlemen, Il Is said
have anaounced that they are Of the
op'nlc that this disregard OF the
preslepat's message will have the ef
feet q aestroy and inegalize the draw.
ing and NE actual settler win win in