The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1901-07-29
MONDAY JULY 20. 1901


WILL The DRAWING BE FAIRY
The following Is that part Of Presi-
dent McKinley's proclamation opening
to public settlement the Kiowa. Co
manche and Wichita country
Preparatory to these drawings the
registration officers will, at the time
% registering each applicant who
shows himself duly qualified, make
out card, which must be signed by
the applicant, stating the land dis
triet in which be desires to make
homestead entry and giving such a
description OF the applicant as will
enable the local land officers to there
after Identity him. This card viii be
at once sealed in a separate envelope.
which will bear no other distinguish
las label OF mark than such as may
be necessary to show that It is TO 20
into the drawing for the land district
in which the applicant desires to make
entry. These envelopes viii be sep
arnted according to land districts and
will be carefully preserved and remain
sealed until opened In the course OF
the drawing as herein provided.
When the registration is completed all
of these sealed envelopes will be
brought together at the place OF draw
ing and turned over to the committee
in charge of the drawing. who. in such
manner as in their judgment will be
attended with entire fairness and
equality of opportunity. shall proceed
to draw out and open the separate en-
relopes and to give to each enclosed
card number in the order in which
the envelope containing the same is
drawn"
That this part Of the message has
been violated and wholly disregarded
is known. None of the cards men
toned We're "at once" nor have they
yet been enclosed and sealed in
separate envelope" They have been
rammed promiscuously into boxes at
the several booths during registration
hours and at night carried TO some
place unknown to the public and III
boxes dumped and made ready for use
the next day This process Is gone
through with each day. To consum.
mate this violation of law and make
At more palpable these cards, which
should have been "at once" placed in
sealed envelopes, are carried TO
building provided for the purpose and
there are being assorted by clerical
force obtained in the city who operate
not under the sacitlty of an oath but
as they arc directed.
The evident intent Of the president.
by the wording OF the proclamation,
was TO remove the possibility Of fraud
being committed by the cards being
tampered with or favoritsm being
shown in the drawing. It may be true,
and probably Is, that no wrong will be
committed and that the drawing win
be fair but this disregard OF the presi-
lent's message leaves the action OF
he management open to criticism. Il
win create dissatisfaction as soon as
,nown. as Il ought to. The drawing
F;ll be some index 70 the fairness or
nfalrness Of this departure from the
xprcss letter OF the law and spirit OF
lirness directed by the president.
hat under this departure fraud can
? successfully practlced and favorlt-
m easily shown goes Without saying
be people are awakening and have
cir eyes upon this matter and 1t IS
cause OF much unfavorable com.
4 ent here. To add 10 the dlstrust Of
people the management have an.
unced that the drawing VIII not be
public as heretofore announced but
u h be behind closed doors. The
,ple are anxlously awaiting the re-
T. Some legal gentlemen, it is said,
he announced that they are OF the
hion that this disregard OF the
hdents message will have the ef
20 destroy and lllegallze the draw
and the actual settler viii win in