The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-03-22
If CHEROKEE
TREATY FAILS
The Curtis Law Will Be
Rigidly Enforced and
Dissolve Tribes

Washington. D. C., March 2l.-
from information received az the Indian
afflce Il SIS not improbable that The Cur
tfs law win shortly ee put into fun force
ana effect in the Cherokee nation, ana
shat under ts provisions the trpal form
~ government s,ig ultimately ss aissnlv-
"a. ON April % the Cherokee people are
fo vote upon ihe amended treaty between
the nation and the federal government
bitter fight ls being made 60 prevent
thc adoption of the treaty hy the people
with the object iu view of deicrring az
tion until the next congress when 30 ls
believed number OF attorneys ana
schemcrs can secure the inclusion ln
new treaty OF provisions which may re-
anit pocuniariiy advantageous 90 them.
IA oraer 90 bring this about they have
converted the mineral leasing provision
81 the new treaty into federal scare
CROW. which which TO frghtcn she citi-
gems into rejecting the agreement. Tho
Indications nre THAT they may succeed.
Secretary Hitchcock and Commissioners
Zones are watching the contest over the
treaty in thg Cherokee nation with con-
Adorable interest II the present treaty
Jars the Department viii Immediately in
airnct the United States attorney for the
northern district % enforce every prov-
sion OF the Curtis not For eight years
she department has been endeavorlng 90
secure some amicable agreement with the
snt exec Indiana FOR the dissolution OF
rheir tribal form OF government Each
attempt fl.us TAR has resulted in aboslute
failure until the patience of The depart
nont and congress Is practically exhaust
"a
Ia March 1893 am act was approved au-
thorlzing the creation Of a commission
*rcat with the i've civilized tribes for
the purpose OF negotiating teraty agree
men,s with the various nations. For
eight years the commission hss been cf-
tcavorlng TO secure some agreement with
the Cherokee Indians whereby the tribal
form OF government would be dissolved.
the land and moneys Of the nation dis
trlbuted among the people and full cit-
xcnship accoderd the inhabitants Every
attempt thus far has proven futile. on
twn prior occasions treaties were entered
into but the teims were of such a nature !
that they were promptly rejected by con-
gress Finally IN iSs9 II became evident
hHtltnH
tlnue negotiations with the Cherokee and
Creek nations and accordingly the curtis |
bin VAS perpared and became law on
June 2s OF that year. a howl Immediately |
went up from the Cherokee people, who
insisted through attorneys nj Washing I
ton. that they were willing 20 enter into
treaty agreement with the government
ana an they desired was an opportunity /
Accordingly the enforccnens OF the Cur
tis law was indefinitely postponed. Ia /
lSe9 an agreement was entered into be-
tween tao commission 70 the five civilized /
nibss ana the Cheroircs This treaty
however was s., ln' regnated with
schemes b w tply rejected by I
congress hn lt w-s announced that
the Curtis law would be enforced. An
other plea was made hy the attorneys
for the cherokees with the result that a
further postponement OF the Curtis actl
was granted. Last ran a new treaty was
agreed TO and sent TO Washington. u re-
oeivcd the careful attention uf tla com
mittees on Indian affairs OF 10 hous8 ana
senate with the result that II was madl-
fed to q considerable extent ono pro
vision which was a bone Of contentlon
related 20 mineral and OH leases Ia the
nation, In order that the rights OF the
Indians might be fully protected an
amendment was included Ia the treaty
providing that where leases actually ex-
listed on land taken hy the Indians as
their allotments the revenues from the
leases should 20 to the ailottecs and on
laud which had not been taken the reve-
nue. should SO TO the tribe. In order
that the oil companies and individuals
interested in mining should be restricted
10 the utmost a further provision was I'M
serted prohibiting the issuance OF any
additional leases under either the Curtis
act or amy other act Of congress- Finally.
IN conclusion, another provision was M
serted providing;
THE object OF this latter provision was
40 further protect The interests Of the
Cherokee people,
- can see nothing whatever 10 them
that would iniure the Interests of "a single
individual if those OH companies which
have secured leases have amy interests
whatever they could not be impaired ny
an act Of congress A contract cannot he
invaldatod by congress without compen-
sation 10 thc Injured rartiev This Is as
far as the mineral provision Of this treaty
goes X r. far better for the Cherokee
peonle than the Curtis net, tor under that
law the secretary can issuy additional
lenses 10 companies while under tho
Cherokee treaty no leases can De made
hereafter under thc Curtis or amy other
law"
"What win be the eioct Alr Commits
sioner q me failure OF the Cherokee
nrreemeut2'
.fft ..,,tt ,,,...., tt,. ...f....4 s a., /
Curtis act beyond doubt"
.In ~ entiretyY oaked
''Yes. in its entirety said the com
rlissloner 1--WE have made repeated at-
ttmpts 10 induce the Cherokee people ta
3nteN INTO an agreement whereby thsr
tribal form of government could lc abol
isfed Bach Of these attempts ir chs past
resulted a. aboslute failure Tho d.'par..
ment reaiizlns che disinclnatloh on the
part of the chaukee people 10 enter Into
amy agreement, has been exceedingly len.