The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-05-26
TO ANNOUNCE
OPENING PLAN
IN FEW DAYS
Home-seeker8 VIII Not Have
10 Wait Much Longer
1T WILL Re A DRAWING
Government Bound to Shut
Off the SoonerS.

Guthrie, o. T.. Nay 25.-In some quar-
ters the fear is entertained that a dis
patch win come from Washington some
day simply declaring the Kiowa reserva-
ton open, and that the men on the Dor
der VIII rush In and take the lands.
There is reason TO believe that some
such proposition was once considered Sc
rioUsly IN Washington But it has been
dropped and a plan Of drawing has been
decided upon 1t is said here with au-
thority that the plan as decided upon
viii be announced on June 6, or a few
days after.
The government has made up its mind
to stop the sooner business. and the pro
tests against the drawing plan win not
count this late in the day.
The editor Of the Enid Echo has re-
ceived a letter from Assistant Secretary
Ryan, OF which the following IS a copy:
Department of Interior,
Washington. May 10, 1901
Dear Mr.. Detwiler;
Referring TO yours of the 5th instant.
you say you would be pleased to know if
there is any foundation for the reports
of a contemplated land lottery. Doubtless
you refer to the coded lands of the XII
owa, Comanche and Apache reservation
and those Of the Wichita reservation,
which are likely to be opened to settle
ment by proclamation Of the president
early IN August.
The law provides that ito avoid the
conflicting claims which have heretofore
resulted from opening similar public
lands to settlement and entry, the pres
ident's proclamation shall prescribe the
manner in which these lands shall be
settled upon, occupied and entered"
You will observe that this law en-
joins upon the president that his pro-
clamation shall prescribe a method of
opening these lands to settlement, which
shall as far as practicable, avoid the
contests and conflicting claims which
have heretofore resulted from opening
similar lands tc settlement and entry"
To this end, the president has under con-
sideration a plan OF registration and
drawing for numbers, the numbers to in
dictate the order in which applications for
entry and settlement viii be received at
the local land offices.
It may be regarded as certain that no
plan viii be adopted by the president
that does not clearly have the sanction
Of the law.
The only safe course for those to pur-
sue who desire TO take homes on these
lands is to carefully observe the meth
DDS that will be prescribed in the presi-
dents proclamation. Very respectfully,
THOS. RYAN.
The FL Reno News says: cit is evil
IDENTIFY the determined purpose Of the
government 10 guard the rights of the
legitimate settler in the new country
against the unlawful claims of the sooner.
And IN our judgment the attempt Will
be a success. When Uncle Sam puts his
hand to the plow something has to move,
and it's like monlzeying with a buzz
saw 10 monkey with him. The sooner
in tho past has been the source of great
est difficulty and expense to the govern
ment. His disregard for law and the
rights of his fellow citizen who obeys the
law place him at the outset in the cate
CORY of the bad citizen.
no man is good citizen who IS not
an honorable man. and no man can be
honorable and sooner a claim
Uncle Sam realizes the situation, and
proposes to see to it that the desperate
remedies which desperate diseases re-
ouire will be forthcoming An attempt
TO steal homestead should be regard
ed as a felony, the same as an attempt
to steal a horse, and the penalty should
be as severe"