The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-05-30
IT's up TO HITCHCOCK.
The Kiowa Opening Grazing Lands
Indian Protest Not Official.
Special to the Ardmoreite.

The fraudulent location Of 4sO,OOO
acres of pasture lands for the In
dians as exclusil ely announced IN
these dispatches, two weeks ago.
was today the subject Of discussion
between Commissioner Jones and
Mr.. Evans Of Topeka, Kan, assis-
tant attorney for the Rock Island
railway system and Mr.. Curtis.
Mr.. Evans produced map
showing locations Of lands to be in
the southern portion Of the reser-
walton. bordering along Red ri yer
and comprising the richest agri-
cultural section Of the reservation
far removed from allotments OF
even the Comanches and absolute
le inaccessible TO the Kiowa and
Apaches. The pasture lands Sc
lected are the same which have
been rented for many years by Mr..
Burnett of Texas, and adjoining a
large tract of land owned by him
in Texas. Just across the river.
From an examination Of the map It
is evident that the pastures were
so located in order to prevent their
being utilized for grazing purposes
by any Indian stock.
Charges have been made that
bribery was resorted 10 in order to
secure the location OF the pasture
lands along the Red river. Mr..
Evans did not attempt to make any
explanation of the question, stat
ing that he had nothing whatever
TO do with the selection or location
of the pasture lands. He stated
however, that the Indians could
not complain in his opinion, as the
lands selected were among the
choicest lands of the entire reser-
vation.
Commissioner Jones, however,
does not agree with him in this
particular, as he points out the
fact that the lands as at present
located are valueless 10 the Indians
for grazing purposes, owing to
their inaccessibility but its doubt
full whether the location can be
changed now owing to the allot-
ments which are scattered over
other portions Of the reservations.
Mr. Evans says that any change at
this late day is impracticable, but
Commissioner Jones says that as
fraud has been practiced upon the
Indians it should aud must be cor
rected.
The question Of the general
policy of the department in regard
TO the protest submitted by Judge
Springer was taken up and discuss
ed at length.
Mr. Curtis and Mr.. Evans were
given to understand that the pro-
test submitted was not an official
one and would not be seriously
considered by the department
They were also informed that un-
less Secretary Hitchcock or the
president intervened the depart
ment would open the reservation to
settlement on schedule time.
The question Of the ability Of
Judge Springer to secure an in
junction in the district court was
also discussed, the opinion being
expressed that the courts would not
interfere
Representative Curtis will have
further conference with Acting
Secretary Ryan tomorrow in re
gard to the affairs of the reserva
ton.
Judge Springer tonight inform
ed the ARDMoREITE correspondent
that he was merely awaiting the
return Of the president aud Secre-
tary Hitchcock before institutinG
action against the department to
prevent the opening Of the Kiows
country,
"You need have no fear about
the decision of courts, " said Judge
Springer, for there is no court il
the land that would not enjoin th,
Al Al o.