The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-09
Or. Lyons
PERFECT
I Goth Powder
Used by people Of refinement
or over a quarter Of a century
PREPARED BY
G MsH~7a. -ngG

lowed to sell their homestead of forty
| acres until the expiration or twenty-one
years. The citizens should however
have it optional with them whether the
land be sold at private sale or listed with
the Indian agent. as sales are now made.
"A large proportion of the Creeks are
fully competent to get the highest price
for their land at a private sale AS an
instance of this I can cite the case OF
George w. Tiger, a fuliblood living near
EufaUla. He sold 100 acres of his land.
which lies within q mile and half of
Muskogee, last spring, at a private sale
for 1880 under the old regulations. This
sale was disapproved by the secretary
and the rules were changed. The same
land was recently sold under the sealed
bid plan, now in vogue, and only $500
realized. A net loss of s1,20O, or so per
care to the aliottee.
THE restrictions are not right from
an ethical standpoint. Take an old cou-
pie who have both children and grand
children. What reason is there that they
should hold their land when both the
children and the grandchildren are as
well provided for in the matter of lands
as they2 | would consider it a matter of
right and justice. if not of charity, to
permit them to dispose of all their land
save the homesteads and with the money
provide themselves with comfortable sur
roundings and an income sufficient to
support them during the rest of their
lives
I'm many instances the restrictions are
financially a burden. If you want an
instance. take middle-aged man with
wife and two minor children. Together
they have 640 acres of land. Under the
present lease system, which has proven
a curse to my people rather than a bless
ing, the husband and father can realize
about s160 in rent on the land. If he and
hls wife were permitted each to sell 120
acres of their own allotments they would
have sufficient funds to improve their
remaining eighty acres and the chill
dren's 800 acres. so that the land would
yield cash rental of 80 an acre, or $500
a year instead of $50 under the present
system.
The way things are run now the more
intelligent and energetic list their lands
with the Indian agent and as they get
their papers up in proper shape secure
ready action, while the poorer full
bloods, who are in greater need, fail to
so prepare their papers ana as a result
these are returned to them for correc-
ton. The condition of affairs in the In
dian agents office regarding the sale of
lands is now so congested that it will be
long time. probably years, before those
ton on their applications for sale.
For these reasons I have supported
this measure. Some fullbloods have told
me that they might prefer to list their
lands with the Indian agent for sale, as
is now done in all cases, and for that
reason ] think it should be made op-
tional when a man wanted to sell his
land whether it was done by private sale
or by sealed bids. This would relieve
the tension in the government office
which is now taxed beyond its ability to
handle the sales.
'If these restrictions were to last for
ecer or long term of years it might
be well to continue them, but after 1907
they viii no longer be in force and il is
not likely that those now incompetent
to handle their own affairs will be more
competent at the end of that time If
the restrictions are removed now the
chance of fraud is nearly eliminated. As
it now stands, we have a regular gov
ernment and national attorney. hired at
a large salary, to look after the Indians
The nation pays witness fees
and such expenses. and why should not
the Indians have the benefit of these
things while they last? When you teach
a baby to walk you don't stand him up i!
in the middle OF the floor, but by a
chair