The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1903-03-31
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TAKES
UP THE INDIAN QUESTION.
w. A. Ledbetter Foreibly Sets Forth
His views-committee Appointed
TO Confer With Commission
in the Locating Of Indians.

der.
The first roll call showed the house
to be without a quorum, but other
members came in until a quorum bad
assembled and the business OF the
club could be transacted.
w. A. Ledbetter in talk OF several
minutes called attention Of the body
TO the efforts being made by a syndl'
cate to allot 1000 Mississippi Choc-
taws within the trade territory trlnu-
tary to Ardmore. that the result would
be harmful TO the town for the reason :
that these full-blood Indians were not
a progressive farming class; that good
farm houses, orchards, vineyards ana
well.hlled granaries did not character
ize their farms, and further, he sald'
that these Indians must reside upon
their allotments for period of three
years before they owned it in fee SIM
pie and that 1t would be four years
before any part of It could be placed
lupon the market; that If these Indians
} were allowed to take up the lands
surrounding the town 1t would be
equal to locating Ardmore within an
Indian reservation.
Mr.. Ledbetter. while presenting the
I evil side. said that the Indian was to
he pitied aud that he had no personal
fight to make againt the syndicate,
Z that he was prompted to do what he
Z could in the matter as a citizen OF
\ Ardmore. He also had a remedy
Z which he believed could be applied
; lit was this: That committee oil
: business men be appointed to visit
the Dawes commission, lay the matter
before that body, demonstrate that II
is better for the Indian to be scattered
so that he would come in contact
more with the whites. and show the
harmful effects to business interests
by clustering them together; that tn
Dawes commission possessed plenar'
power in selecting allotments for In
dians and could place them anywher
that their several needs seem to re
quire.
Among other things Mr.. Ledbette
said:
Every fair-minded man symp'
J, thizes deeply With these unfortuna'
,er. Mississippi Choctaws, and the PR
test against their settlement in tn
lth- community is no evidence of want
ddo sympathy for them. The great re
I'm. son why we do not want them here
that they will prevent the develo
keu ment Of the country and will exclu
'-ot' farmers who would otherwise COZ
to this country with money to b
farms and build houses. Every toy
In the Territory is expecting gre
., benefit from the development or
y" country when farmers from the o
inst side with money come here to inVe
81 think the fight should be ms
RY chiefly against the syndicate wh
has brought these Indians here
the purpose of fleecing them. !
NOW treaties safeguard the rights OF tn
29.6 Indians so that legitimate speculat
IN. at their expense is impossible. Ev
scheme to make money out of these
,shed 1ians is unlawful. AS | understand
Got. the plan of this syndicate Is 10 n
them apply for their allotments, g
have certificate showing that the Ind
Will are entitled to particular tracts
r our lands. then get possession Of the Il
cultivate IL. or rent 1t out, appropr
co. the rent. and let the Indians stary
20 back to Mississippi. A
epair' many of them, am told, desire t
place. naa,' oo,,, ana thav are simply b
-lm held here until after the land
- opens at Tishomingo in order that
Maga- syhuicate may se' '"oir 'oo'',e ee-.oe
-. - their allotments, then take posses
,ho 10 Of the allotments and Appropriate
-. TO their own benefit and let the ln'
starve.
"There is no doubt on earth but
b. f. an investigation OF this matter b.
There Dawes commission would deVei
293 most deliberate and cold-blC
scheme to rob these Indians.
ng ma the treaty the Indians are requir
h less stay on their prospective alloi
last a three years before they are en-
Music TO tke their allotment, and at II
22'tf piration of one year from that
patent may issue to them. Th'
W. no thought on the part of this
evening oa,o ,hat thase Indians win ST
-0'u' these allotments during the
years. The purpose unquestiona
ala ,ra simply to get possession of I
- lin lotments and let the Indians 60
Dawes commission has absolute