The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-13
OPPOSES THE HORSE RACE
Mr. Garrett Discusses rIan for KIows
and COmmanche Opening


and COmmanche Opening.
Perry, 0. T., Feb. 12-On January Is.
I mailed you a copy of a plan for open
ng the Kiowa lands to settlement; the
same day I also mailed copies of the
same plan to the secretary Of the interior
| and Hon Dennis T. Flynn at Washing
| ton and today received Acknowledgements
Of the receipt OF same BY the department
Of the interior and the commissioner of
the general land Office, Hon. Binger Her
mann
AS do not often see your daily edition
7 do not know whether you printed the
plan I mailed you or not. However. 7
| notice in the Daily Eagle OF February
/ 3, a plan proposed by F. H Lamar OF
! Enid. o. T.. which 7 think is commenda-
bic for its spirit Of justice TO the honest
! settler and soldier. 7 agree with him on
| the requirement that all settlers shall
| show good faith by being present IN per-
son at the land Office at the time Of
opening and in giving ali deserving ones
an equal chance; then there are some
points in his plan that I think would
work harmoniously in connection with
the plan I submitted. However, for the
}
to contest one important point IN favor
Of my plan. Mr.. Lamar would have the
members Of certificates or coupons made
up at the land Office and sent to Wash
ington, after which the drawing or al
lotting Of numbers would take place, in
other words the list of names and num-
bers could be known to some extent by
the holders Of numbered certificates and
officers Of the land Office some time before
the drawing took place. Ny method pro-
vides for the drawing TO take place at
Washington simultaneously with the is
suing Of the numbered certificate or cou-
pom at the land Office To many this
would seem obvious for a fair ard square
deal
While according to my plan, it would
seem that there would be no way Of hav-
ing the proper number Of certificates or
coupons with printed, consecutive num-
hers prepared, the plan provides a way
for estimating to some certainty, the
number Of applicants expected by HAVING
issued a public circular, through the
press, or in a manner to make generally
known This circular to contain the rules
for opening the land, and instructing pros /
pective applicants to enroll themselves
with such enumerator as may be desig-
mated by mail or in person, in case, said
applicant expected to comply with the
rules of opening and be present IN per-
son at the proper time The depart
ment Of the interior could then have
enough numbered certificates prepared in /
advance and in excess of the estimate
to cover the requirements, and if any
numbers were left after the rush. they
would soon all be taken without doubt
The suggestion by Mr.. Lamar prohibit
ing any sort Of specus ton by the lucky
applicants. is a good one It is to be
hoped that these lands will be settled in
an impartial manner, and I think It is
the avowed purpose of most Oklahomans
to discourage any plan that savors of the |
'horse race" system. 70 which joskeyc
only are eligible and in which ''sooners''
are damnably if not elegilsly concerned. /
When I say eligible, mean eligible TO /
the best land, which would, in the race
be out Of reach Of the honest and per- 1
haps poor settler. who is neither jockey /
or sooner. CHAS W. GARRETT. (