The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-10
He WOULD
MAKE FOUR
DISTRICTS
And Let the Settlers Take
Their Choice.
M'KINLAYS OPENING PLAN
Which Has Been Submitted
10 the Secretary.
M'KINLAYS OPENING PLAN

Newkirk, O. T., Feb. SO add to the
Eagles agitation for new manner OF
opening public lands is a decidedly un-
ique plan proposed 10y Lincoln Mckinley,
United States commissioner here. His
letter to the secretary is as follows:
Newkirk, o r.. Jan. o. 1901.
The Honorable Secretary Of the Interior,
Washington, .. C.
Dear Sir:-The question of the time and
manner Of the opening of the Kiowa and
Comanche reservation to settlement the
coming summer is attracting great atten-
ton in this region Of country now, and
no doubt is being considered by your
department even at this time.
do not know that the law viii per-
init any different methods Of opening
these lands to settlement than was fol-
lowed liz the other openings fin Okla
homa, but that some other way should
DE devised and used If possible is the I'M
questioned sentiment Of ali those who
are familiar with the history of the pub
JIG lands Of Oklahoma. And no one can
know more forcibly than your DEPART
ment of the endless litigation of contests
arising from the question of prior settle
ment, 1t is blight on the multitude Of
settlers in this county even yet after
seven years. both sides to the issue vast
ing their substance and embittering
whole neighborhoods in The strife.
BY the old method the resulting con
tests In the new region win be a larger
proportion Of the land in litigation: for
this new region IS now wholly surrounded
10y wei settled territory. and viii be
reached by two or three lines Of rail-
way that VIII bring untold thousands
10 seek home there: ten men to every
quarter section 10 be subject to home
stead entry would not be at all improb-
able.
Even if these lands were opened by
proclamation without a time set ahead.
hut on issuance Of the proclamation.
there would stin be several settlers for
each available piece Of land, and endless
contests would result
From my own experience i'm the Cher0-
hee opening Of 1893 and seven years
residence fin this county and a year or
two taking final proof on homesteads in
this county T am sure that large part
Of the intending settlers OF the Kiowa
and C0manche country who want hon
estlv to secure o. home there. would pre-
fer some scheme Of drawing or selection
hy Tot: then each settler would know at
once if he had a claim or not and could
ct once return to his former home or
proceed 10 buy ont some settler who
had secured claim
Tt is urged shat a drawing" would be
lottery and gambling. But 7 think not
even # IT were. the horse race and soon
erism are worse. The gambling feature
Of lottery IS whore q man paws some
thing for the more chance of winning
much larger amount; i'm a drawing"
for The selection of these lands a man
would pay nothing unless he got the
land. tt would be no more gambling or
criminal lottery than the method used
I'm the army cavalry in active operations
Of selecting the man each day TO care
Tor the horses in dzmountng that is
after lining mp I'm the morning the men
begin at She head of the line and number
one. two and three. four. successfully.
and the fourth man cares Tor the horses
Of his group that day
I have q plan for the allotting of the
1Iowa and Comanehe lands 10 settlers
which T respectively submit for Your
consideration. believe IF w1uIa he
fair and impartial effective ana practi-
CAL and not SO susceptible Of fraud. 1T
would also do away with the objection
Of the lottery idea. And If the law as it
now stands win not permit your depart
meni % make suen rules as 70 The Open
ing y "oaia DO away Wta SO much
''Ie@.ih- ihen ibis congress should
CONFER ihaJ power
s"a oe aHolments are com
tle'7" 'N tle iH'i'h7 lh lne NloWa ana
'"l'ahoHe i'nas me secretary OF The In
nave me "noie re4i2n divided
into four or more equal ana regular Sec
li'ns OF DIVISIONS. ana numbered ]. 2 3
80 tte-' olN-si'n 90 made ora range and
ine
ne secretary llen nave prepared
ret''o'-e el OF record DOCKS Tor each
"iNl9lon' ana nave recorded 10 duplicate
''e DOCKS I'D eaca division an i'm
else ''nl'2.e ist OF every tract OF land
~ lae respective divisions subject 20 en-
't| ~ me opening or SAID lands with
e"sH d4lt ol 'aho siFe q consecutive
-'..'' 'nils "i'h one ln e2eh di-
NlSi'o' ana recording with the lesal des-
''i'' OF me iand It's number Make
t'e "@l i"ol inmate 10y any method Of
+atf selection OF the tracts % land.
mere IN lAaian allotment takes part
quarter section. make the remaining
+itt - 'f3et 10 oe numbered.
AS seon as these lists art prepared ~
it general land Office the secretary to
eause an enrolling office 90 be opened N
" t.nf enient place ON the border of each