The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-15
Continued from Second Page.

govern themselves. Against this PROPOSE
tion there can be no logical objec ion.
OlsG homa has the intellect, the wealth,
the moral force, the energy, the natural
resources, the development already
achieved and the promise of a splendid
future sufficient to justly entitle her to
careful consideration and congressional
action. No logical reason can be urged
against her early admission into the sis
terhood of states.
The question Of the admission Of TIE
territory as a state wh5lly within the
jurisdiction OF congress. and this depart
ment can. therefore, DO no more than
direct your attention to the views of the
governor in the premises.
.ANADARKO. HOBART. AND LAYTON
TOWN-LOT FUNDS.
The details Of the opening OF the Kio-
wa, Comanche and Apache lands in Ok
lahoma, and of the sale of the town lots
in Anadarko, Hobart and Lawton, the
county seats of Caddo. Kiowa, and Co
manche counties. respectively, were fully
set forth in my annual report for 1871.
The net amounts derived from said tow
lot sales were as follows: At Anadarko,
sIs6. 91047: at Hobart, $3.50 935; at LawtOn,
s412, $50. IS. These SUMS were promptly de-
posted by Assistant Commissioner (now
Commissioner Richards, OF the general
land Office, in the United States sub
treasury at st. Louis, where the funds
have remained TO this date, except for
the disbursements therefrom under the
act of March 3. 1901 (S1 Sta. L, i093-i69D
and the act Of June CO. 1902 (S2 stat L,
6Gs).
The said act of March 3. 1901, provided
In part as follows:
The receipts from the sale OF these lots
IN the respective county seats shall. after
deducting the expences incident to the
surveying subdividing plotting. and sell
ing of the same. de disposed of under the
direction OF the Eecretary of the Interior
:n the following manner: a courthouse
shall be erected Herewith at such county
seat at j. cost not exceeding ten thous-
ard dollars, and the residue shall be ap-
piled to the construction of bridges. roads
and such other public improvements as
tn eSecretary of the Interior shall deem
appropriate. including the payment OF all
expenses actually necessary to the main
tenance of the county government until
the time for collecting county taxes in
the calendar year next succeeding the
time of the opening. No indebtedness of
any haracter shall be contracted or in
Cured by any Of said counties prior to
the time for collecting county taxes in the
calendar year next succeeding the OPEN
ing, excepting where the same shall have
been authorized by the Secretary of the
Interior.
The said act of June 30, 1902. increased
the appropriation for court-houses in
each town to SG9.0) each. and also appro-
priated from the respective town-lot funds
FOR public water works. school houses,
ana such other municipal Improvements
as may be advisable and advantageous
TO the inhabitants of said towns the
following sums: For the town Of Law
ton. $4,000: for the town CT Anadarko
$50. coo; and for the town of Hobart, s50,0G0
For expenses actually necessary TO the
maintenance OF the county government
TO January I. 1863. which date was held
By the assistant attorney general for
this department TO be the time for col
lecting county taxes in the calendar year
next succeeding the opening" the sums:
Upon claims against Caudo county. So,
E217: against liowa county, So. 3l.21;
against Comanche county, s46,S02s3.
In January, 1903. the department was
Informed that a large number of war
rants on the treasures of the counties
.of Kiowa Caddo and Comanche had been
ISSUED. Said counties. at the time such
warrants were alleged 10 have been is
sued. Were prohibited by the act of March
5. 1901. from contracting or incurring in
debtedness of any character excepting
where the same shall have been author
izel by the Secretary of the Interior
Upon receipt Of this Information pay
ment of all claims pending in the De-
partment was 1T once suspended and in
vestigation ordered, the result of which
disclosed the fact that the warrants is
sued appeared, from the county records,
to affect TO claims paid here and very
few that had been presented TO or were
pending in the Department In several
instances. however. the county warrants
had been issued in payment Of claims
that had been rejected by the Department
sr returned by il for a more complete
showing. In these cases the Departmc Mt
has been able TO protect the town-lot
fund and the county by Withholding pay
metn of later claims until the claimant *
able 70 show that the total OF the pay
ments 10 him. including warrants issued
have been actually and legally due him
as against the county.
The attention of the Department about
this time was also called to what were
alleged to be grave irregularities in the
procedure Of the local authorities IN Kio-
Wa county in the mater tofr them the
wa county in the matter of contracts for
public improvements payable cot or the
town-lot fund. Immediate investigation
was oudered. which resulted in the matter
being placed in the hands of the United
States attorney for Oklahoma the out
come OF which was the indictment and
arrest of a contractor and two Of the
county commissioners. charged with con-
spiracv TO defraud the government.
The result Of the disclosures IN the
counties named was the suspension ~
all applications for payments for alleged
public improvements from the town-lot
fund until the work by representatives
Of the department. This has resulted. Of
course, IN GetaNlrS Inc Fay I'lehL u SUCH
claims. and has caused an outcry FROM
those affected, but / have Eel; such action
20 be necessary for the proper admins
trstion and protection of the fund in
trusted 10 ne.
The Claims necessary for the maiate-
nance OF the Comfy governments. hoWev-
e.. are At this date practically all dis
posed OF. and the administration CT the
town-lot funds i at present concerned
almost exclusively with the various pub
lie Improvements for which said funds