Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1901-190?, 1902-10-23
MOUNTAINS PROCLAMATION
Mineral Lands and Court Citizenship are
Touched Upon

Mineral Lands and Court Citizenship are
Touched Upon
SoUTH McALEsTER; Following is the
message of Gov. Green McCurtain, read
before the Choctaw Legislature. ID. G.
McCurtain, n son of the governor, read
the message in English, and it was also
read in Choctaw:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives
in General Council Assembled II is with q
sense Of deep gratitudethat greet you on this
occasion Of our assembling In regular session,
and trust that you will generously bear with
my expressions of appreciation.
The election to the office OF Principal Chief
for this third term In distinction that ha-
never before been accorded, any man in the
history Of the Choctaw people and is worthy
OF my most profound acknowledgment.
The Office of principal chef carries with it
grave responsibilities. II Is my purpose to
hrmly and cOnscientiously meet these high oh
legations, ana to that end earnestly ask, and
shat expect, your cooperation and that Of the
Choctnw people.
Our tribal government will soon end and all
our legislation should be directed to II success
tul closing up OF our efforts, 10 this end very
few laws, in addition to those we already have,
are necessary. There are however, conditions
ARISING under the supplementary agreement.
recently ratified, which Will probably necessi
tate laws proper to meet them, and in this
connection desire to refor to the reservation
of coal and asphalt lands AZ provided in tho
supplementary agreement that the lands prin'
clpaily valuable Ior their coai and asphalt oe
posIts not to exceed JOJU0O acres shall be re.
served from allotment, and that the same
SHAH be segregated within six months. This
Drngs US to cOnsider the manner of handling
| these lands during the interim between their
[ segregation and sa.e. Under the present law
d ID. lt4 these lands "a m N
anu they can not I've held or used by citizens
having ulloUmentS, for 30 average acres is the
unit OF IA citizens hOluing. ! recommend that
you give TINS matter your earnest eOnsldera-
uOn ana enact such laws US viii best protect
the interests of the nation.
The same condition exists with reference to
the Einds to be reserved for Mississippi Choc.
Jaws.
would also call your attention to the mat.
ter OF public highways along section lines, and
would suggest tnat, lnasmuch as the Choctaw
people will be onIy II small proportion of the
/ people who will use thcse public highways, you
memorianze Congress to pay the Cnoctaw peo-
pie for the lands taken for that purpose.
| One Of the subjects Of vital Importance to
the Choctaw people at this time Is the citizen.
ship question. Since my first inauguration a.
| principal chief, have waged an uncomproms.
ing warfare upon those persons who have en-
dcavOred to folst themselves upon us as citi-
zens entitled to participate in the division OF
our common property. These people are aptly
denominated as court citizens" and as such
are known to the Choctaw people. 1t is there.
| fore unnecessary for me 10 tell you who tney
are. The supplementary agreement is com
piete in its provisions for the settlement of the
claims of this class of people. 1t will not be
| necessary Tor the Council to legislate upon this
| slbject but representative of the people
desire to say to you and through you to the
Choetaw people that 1t Is the right and duty OF
citizens of the Choctaw Nation to use their
best efforts to AID the nation IN its enaeavor te
defeat these people.
| In the original trial Of these cases many OF
cur citizens were unwttingiy imposed upon
to the extent of making atfiGavts to what they
| beneve to be one statement of facts and which
turned out to be another statement of citizen.
ship claims. This was most commonly prac.
ticed among fullbloods, who aid not under.
stand the English language or the meaning
OF English words.
| 1t should be remembered, too, by all oui
| citizens that the success of each fraudulent
citizenship claimant means to each man, wo
man and child OF Choctaw citizenship dimin
IIshing of their proportionate share of the
| tribal property. Hence, the necessity of being
very cautious about making affidavits in
| citizenship cases; and aside from the moral
obligation attaching to the matter of making
| afidavits in citizenship cases, perjury must be
carefully guarded against from IA standpoint
of the law. Perjury Is a serious crime which
| is visited by the most severe punishment.
would, therefore counsel the Choctaw people
to beware of persons seeking aitidavits le
! they be mislel TO violate the law and thereby
get into serious trouble.
While l might have more fully discussed
the matters herein referred to- do not think
1t would have been Of any particular profit, "a,
lyou are all men of affairs and thorough )
awake to the interests Of our government. II
however, during the present session Of th'
council, there should arise any matter OF
particular Importance, will communicate tC
you my suggestions and recommendations bJ
special message.
GREEN MCCuRTAIN,