The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-05-31
crnRoKEEs At END OF ROW.
An Unwillingness for Agreement
with Department - Not ForsStten.

ashlngtOni -. - -Na'
II is exceedingly doubtful whether
the Cherokee nation will have an.
other opportunity 20 enter into an
agreement with the federal gov
ernment preparatory 20 the ulii-
mate extinction Of their tribal
form Of government. Several
weeks ago the Cherokee council
passed a bin providing for The az
pointmeut Of nine commissioners
10 treat with the members OF the
Dawes commission IN the prepara-
tion Of another agreement for the
partition Of the lands Of the na
ton among the Cherokee people.
That act has reached the depart.
meut aud is awaiting the return Of
Secretary Hitchcock before being
finally disposed Of There is q
strong disposition on the part Of
the department TO veto the bill
providing tor another commission.
Il is pointed out that already the
department has entered into three
agreements with the Cherokees
which have thus far proven bar
ren Of results Two Of the agree
ments were rejected by congress.
while the third, which was amend.
ed by the Indian committees Of the
house and senate with the consent
Of the Indian delegates in the city,
was rejected by the Cherokee peo-
pie when sent back 10 them for
ratification In fact, the very men
who advocated the ratification Of
the agreement by congress were
the first 10 repudiate it upon their
return home. IL is stated at the
department that it is almost i'm
possible to reach any conclusion
as to what the Cherokee people
really want, and Acting Secretary
Ryan expressed the belief to your
correspondent that the Cherokee
people themselves had no cOncep-
tion Of what they really desired
should be contained in a treaty.
For these and other reasons there
is a disposition on the part of the
department 10 refrain from any
further negotiations and to insist
upon the enforcement Of the Cur
lis act in all Of its provisions.
Already surveying parties are at
work plating and surveying the
various towns in the Cherokee ma
tion, preparatory to the appoint
ment of townsite boards for the
purpose of appraising and selling
the property. The Dawes commis-
sion has been instructed to rush
the work Of preparing thdChero'
kee rolls as rapidly as possible
Actions, have already, or will be
within few days, instituted in the
federal courts of the Territory tC
dispossess all excess land holders
In the meantime the department is
awaiting a decision of the appellate
court of the Territory in the case
of the people of Muskogee against
the United States government with
deep interest. The case arise,
from a'permanent injunction grant
ed by Judge Thomas, adjoining IN,
federal officials from selling or dis
posing OF any of the townsite prop
erty of the city of Muskogee. TE,
government Immediately took an
appeal to the appellate court ant
the case was submitted in March
A decision is expected, therefore
daily, and the officials of the de
partment here are confident tina
the appellate court will reverse th,
decision Of Judge Thomas and dis
solve the injunction. Should sucl
be the decision of the court the de
partment will Immediately procee,
with the sale of the property in th
Cherokee cities as soon as the sur
yeys are completed, as it seems th
Muskogee case was appealed to tn
higher court in order to test tn
contention of the Indians As tn
same provisions Of LAe Curtis la,
that are applicable now to tn