The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-01-29


ono ns IS affords everybody nm oppor-
tnnly to compete. giving no adyantago
% anyone end enables them 20 ontpin
iasediatc TITLES 10 the iots There are
a good many people who believe that the
appointment or temporary county and
municipal officers souid have been left
10 the government Of oklahoma, but the
Administration here and congress, who
have charge OF this question. bclivc that
the Interior department should have exc
elusive control Of these appointments.
And believe that that rs "a good pro-
vision. and for that reason : inserted It
n the bin Tho governor Of Oklahoma
is appointed upon the recommendation
~ the secretary Of tho interior. lie "
virtually an officer Of that department.
TO confer these appointments upon him
would be a delegation of authority which
the present secretary of the interior ANA
the present congress would De unwilling
90 authorize At tho opening Of that
country ana the distribution OF the land
will be entirely under the supervision Of
tho federal authorities Il is proposed also
thnt they should have appointment or
temporary county and municipal officials
until the people have nn opportunity 20
select their own citizens FOR these places
Every one who lived in Oklahoma during
che early days well remember how the
counties were loaded down With Indebted
ness. before they had chanvs Sc elect
their own Officers Indebtedness Of from
hfty o. one hundred thousand dollars
we're Incurred by tbs provisional govern
mes in the different cities. while the
county commissioners. appointed py the
eovornor loaded down the counties with
Indebtedness do not want q repetition
of those acts and it is for this reason
TINT provision was inserted in my
bm preventing the incurrins Of amy I'M
debtodness without first obtaining the
consent OF the secretary of the Interior
J toB you my bin as Il was reported
from tho committee extends no privileges
60 any class but merely protects the
rights Of an citizens withou, fear or
favor to any"
The court OF claims has fixed the
price OF public lands In the Wichita
reservation az Si25 per acre The de-
oision has not yet been announced OF
nciaiy. but win be promulgated ia a.
few days. This relieves the necessity
OF the passage Of a joint resolution by
congress recalling the resolution pass
ed In June. 1897. requesting President
Mckinley 10 postpone the opening OF
the wichita country untn after the
court of alai and the supreme court
of the Unite, states nad iiually decid-
ed the suit between the choctaw
chickasha ana wichita Indians, and
also requesting the court 10 determine
the proper price for the payment Of the
lands in the reservation. Several days
al. tho nffirTTE
of the interior department that the
iolnt resolution passed June 1897 would
prevent the opening OF the wichita
country untn the court Of claims fin-
ans agreed upon ap rice 60 be paid for
the lands AT that time the court had
not decided this question and 1t was
thought probable that IL might re-
ouire arguments before the court thus
delaying the opening Of the country
indefinitely Accordingly Representa-
tive Curtis and Delegate Flynn were
notified OF the condition existing and
Il was decided that a joint resolution
should be prepared and introduced In
the house and senate recalling the res-
olution requesting the president to
postpone the opening Of the lands
passed June. 1897. 1t transpires how
ever lilNA Aiit NNhAA "a NitAAHAH VIZ 49,
pose OF the question as 10 the price OF
the lands without any further argu-
ments. and the interior department
has been unonicialy advised that the
declalon win be handed down in "a day
or two and that the price agreed upon
Is Si25 per acre.
with this question disposed of Mr..
Curtis ans Delegate Flynn are now
endoayoring 20 so shape aifoirs that
the Wichita country may be opened
simultaneously with the Kiowa and
Comanche country. In order TO bring
this about they have urged the Sec
retary OF the interior TO commence TO
re- survey the exterior boundaries of
the quarter sections as soon as pssible.
Hut Secretary Hitchcock / prevented
from commencing the work Immediate
~ owing to the fact that there is no
appropriation available for this pur-
pose. He has hover. prepared a letter
which has been transmitted 70 the
appropriation committee OF the house
ana senate urging the Inclusion In the