The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-02-10
HOu WILL RESERVATIONS 0pth7
EcIcip~A COUNTRY MUST HAVE
my DAYS NOTICE.
9th Nay se opened the moment
the o. ..t sts . Doeument-TheS
VIII Frrbani. oper at DIfferent
Iime-fynu Vei Busy mss.
Special to the Ardmoreite.

new discovery has been made at
the interior department with rela.
tion to the laws providing for the
opening up Of the Kiowa. Com
manche. Apache aud Wichita
countries in Oklahoma territory.
The discovery relates TO the time
OF notice which must be given by
the executive to prospective home
steal settlers Of the time Of the
opening Of the two reservations.
The law providing for the opening
OF the Kiowa. Comanche and
Apache country leaves it discre-
tionary with the president as to
whether be shall give the rrospec-
tive settlers any notice Whatever.
II, in bis opinion. it is deemed
best for this public service, the
country will be opened without any
notice whatever. the proclamation
taking effect as soon as the presi-
dent signs the document. II is not
improbable that this course may be
resorted to in order to prevent the
great rush among the settlers now
on the borders Of the reservation
for homesteads. The impression
prevails at the interior department
that should due notice Of the open.
ing OF the Kiowa, Comanche aad
Apache country be given that the
number Of people who would con-
gregate upon the borders Of the
reservation exceed many times over
the number Of homesteads 10 be
distributed. This would result in
endless contests and legal disputes
which the department is anxious to
avoid. If the proclamation can be
quietly drafted in the interior de.
partment and signed by the presi
dent. without notice to anyone,
Immediately opening the reserva-
tion to settlement, the news would
reach the prospective homesteaders
gradually aud prevent the great
rush which would occur should the
opening be announced weeks in
advance.
The law providing for the open
ing of the Wichita country, how
ever, contains different provis.
ion. Under that act the president
must Issue his proclamation twenty
days before the country can be
opened. in order that everyone
may have an opportunity to com.
pete for homesteads.
With these conflicting provisions
of law, it is doubtful whether TIE
president will open the two reser-
vations simultaneously, although
the greatest pressure is being
brought upon him by western
members to accomplish this. If he
should decide to aceede to their re
quests he would of necessity be
compelled to announce the opening
OF the two reservations at the
same time. While it is clearly
within the scope of the law to issue
proclamation announcing the
opening of the Wichita country
twenty days thereafter and wait
until the day that country is
thrown open and then issue proc
lamation opening the kiowa, Com
auche and Apache reservation, it is
not considered at al likely at thC
interior department that such 8
course will be pursued. On the
contrary, it is said that if the pres
ident should issue a proclamation
in advance for the opening of the
Wichita country and it should moi
be deemed desirable to announce il
advance the opening Of the Kiowa
Comanche and Apache reservation
that the prospective homesteadel
would readily jump at the conclu-
sion that although the proclama
tiou for the opening of the lattel
country had not been made publ,
il would be announced so that th,
two countries could be opened
simultaneously and that the one
proclamation for the Wichite