The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-12-24

to ratify and confirm, az agreement
with the Indians Of the Port Hall In
dian reservation in Idaho and making
appropriations to carry the same into
effect. which reads as follows, to-wit'
"'That in addition TO the allotment
Of the lands TO snid Indians as pro-
vided for In this agreement the sec
retary of the interior shall set aside
for use in common for said Indian
tribes. four hundred and eighty thou
sand acres of grazing lands, to be
selected by the secretary Of the In
terror. in one or more tracts as will
best subserve the interests Of said In
dians. Be. and the Same is hereby
repealed, in so far as It relates to the
Indian pasture reserve under number
three, containing twenty-five thousand.
six hundred, fifty acres.
Section 2. That the said twenty
two thousand, six hundred, ffty-six
acres of the lands set apart and
known and designated as Indian pas
ture reserve number three, which is
now leased as agricultural lands and
occupied by settlers, shall be opened
to settlement by proclamation of the
president of the United States, thirty
days after the passage Of this act, and
be disposed of under the general
homestead and town site laws of the
United States.
Section 3. That the settlers who
located upon and improved said lands,
shall have preference right for thirty
days after the passage of this act to
file upon one hundred and sixty acres
of said lands. and at the expiration OF
said thirty days, any Of said lands for
which no entry shall have been made
shall come under the general provis
ions Of the homestead and townsite
laws of the United States.
similar bill to this was reported
from the house committee at the first
session of the Fifty-seventh congress
The report of the committee was
unanimous, but through the influence
of the railroads and the eattlemen Il
was defeated in the house Speaker
Cannon. then chairman Of the commit
tee on appropriations unwithngll
made a ringing speech IN opposition
= to the bill. which accomplished in
defeat. 1t has been charged that
prominent Oklahoman who was sup
l posed to be greatly interested in TIT
. welfare Of the settlers, and of tn
/ reople of the territory generally, wa
+ tcsponsible for the defeat G this
measure. The land included withi
: tho reservation is the richest land j
j the entire Kiowa and Comanch
q country. The greater portion of it
L located In the Red river bottoms an
I its selection as pasture lands was az
, complished through the efforts {
u western railroad officials, notabl
L those connected with the Rock Islam
? system. Since the reservation OF thi
% land occurred many scandals hay
1 arisen, in connection with grain
+ leases, and the department, at leai
II the commissioner OF Indian affairs,
e now heartily in favor Of the sale {
the land.
y J. s. Hamon and r. j. Ray, Attorney
= of Lawton, and ID. A. Jacobs, Gil
= clerk OF the court at Lawton hav
!. been in the city urging the passage
u the Mcclure bill providing for Il
~ opening of the pasture lanls IN Il
u KiUwa anu Comanche country az
II also endeavoring to secure an ado
y uGIal allotment of $4,000 from Il
irnds derived from the sale o1 Tow
ius in the three coun.y seat towns
- that country for improvements
Lawton.