Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1901-01-17

1nis l5 the act you VIII Oe Calleu
upon to ratify or reject at the
election to be held sixty days after
Chief Burlington issues his proc.
lamalion.
AN ACT
To ratify and confirm an agree
ment with the Cherokee tribe Of
Indians, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the senate and
house OF representatives Of the
United States Of America in con-
gress assembled, That the agree.
ment negotiated between the com
mission and the Eve civilized
tribes and the Cherokee tribe OF
Indians at the city Of Washington
on the ninth day of April, nine.
teen hundred, as herein amended,
lie hereby accepted, ratified and
confirmed, and the same shall be
in full force and effect il ratified
by majority of the votes cast by
the members of said tribe at an
election held for that purpose:
Provided, That srth election be
held within ninety days from the
approval of this act by the presi-
dent of the United States.
This agreement by and between
the United States entered
into in its behalf by the commits.
sion to the FIVE civilized tribes,
Henry l.. Dawes, Tams Bixby,
Archibald S. McKennon and
Thomas B. Needles, duly ap-
pointed and authorized thereunto,
and the Cherokee tribe Of Indians,
in Indian Territory, entered
into in behalf of said tribe
by Lucien B. Bell, Percy Wyly,
Jesse Cochran, and Benjamin j.
Hildebrand, duly appointed and
authorized thereunto.
Witnesseth, that in consideIa-
tion OF the mutual undertakings
contaiued 1t is agreed as follows:
DEFINITIONS.
/. The words "nation" and
"lribe" shall each be deemed TO
refer to the Cherokee nation or
tribe of Indians in Indian Terri
tory. The words principal chief"
shall be deemed to refer to the
principal chief of said tribe. The
words "citizen" or "cilizens"
shall be deemed to refer to a mem
ber or members of said tribe. The
words "Dawes commission" or
commission" shall be deemed to
refer to the United States commits
sion to the FIVE civilized tribes.
The word Secretary" shall be
deemed to refer TO the secretary of
the interior.
GENERAL ALLOTMENT OF LANDS.
2. All lands belonging TO the
Cherokee tribe OF Indians in In.
dian Territory, except as herein
reserved, shall be appraised at
their true value, considering To-
cation aud fertility Of soil in each
case, excluding improvements
placed by allottee on the lands se-
lected by him: Provided, how
ever, That in cases where a cih.
zen holding lands in excess Of his
righlful share has failed to sell or
remove the buildings and fences
from said excessive holding on or
before the first day Of January
nineteen hundred and two, the
value Of the buildings aud fences
shall be added to the value Of the
land by the appraisement commit
tee.
3. The appraisement shall be
under the direction OF the Dawes
commission by sucn number Of
committees Of appraisement as
may be deemed sufficient to ex.
pedite the work, one member of
each COMMITTEES to be appointed by
said CON mission and one by the
principal chief; and liz the mem.
bers Of any committee fail TO agree
as to the value Of any tract Of and ,
the value thereof shall be de.
termined by said commission.
The committee shall make re-
por: Of their work to the commits
sion as may be required. The
commission shall prepare reports
of the same 10 duplicate, and trans
nit them TO the secretary of the
interior for his approval, and
when approved one copy shall be
furnished the principal chief and
one copy returned TO the commits
sion for lis use in making allOt.
mems as herein provided.
4 All lands Of said tribe. ex.
cept as herein provided, shall be
allotted by said commission
amopg The citizens Of The tribe en-
titled 60 shara therein, 70 as to
give each an equal share OF the