The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-03
LONGER LEASES
For Indian Lands the Line of De
vclopment for Indian
Territory
AN ORGANIZATION is NEEDED
For the Proper Exploitation Of the
Question.

(tN9hiVh-
The line Of least resistance for
the development, at least Of the
Choctaw and chickasaw nations,
in Indian Territory, lies along an
extension Of the lease system al
ready inaugurated A majority Of
the allotted lands in these nations
belongs to minor children and it
will not be practicable under any
reasonable conditions to procure
that class of lands to be sold and it
is almost impracticable to procure
any modification of the homestead
restrictions which comprises a full
half of all allotments to adults.
Neither does our experience with
the applications that are now made
to have the restrictions removed
from the surplus lands allotted to
adult Indians by blood justify
much hope in that direction.
Since the treaties were negotiated
upon the basis Of leases for five
years, conditions have SO material
lly changed that il would be an
easy matter to satisfy any fair
minded tribunal that leases for
longer than FIVE years would be
highly advantageous if properly
safe-guarded. and when made by
Indians by blood for longer than
/ FIVE years they ought to be ap-
proved by a court Of record. II
has already come to be recognized
that few, if any Of the actual al
| lotees by blood Of the old genera
tion will cultivate amy material por-
tion Of the lands and a fair rental
paid annually would better sustain
the allottee than an annuity based
upon the sale Of his land as pro.
posed by Senator Stewart and that
system would bring the land with
i'm reach Of the people who are here
now and leave the purchase money
in the hands Of the actual farmers
for working capital.
The adoption Of such system
and a formal recognition by statute
that Inherited lands are not subject
to any restrictions would bring
the lands Of this country upon the
market as fast as they can be judi
ciously assimilated.
There does not seem TO be any
other course open so far as the al
lotments made to minor children
arc concerned, except that provi-
sions might and ought to be made
for the sale Of lands inherited BY
minor children so that all lands
owned would come upon the mar
ket as soon as the original allotee
dies. Further legislation is needed
in that respect because the Arkan.
sas laws which governs such sales
now, do not make adequate provi-
sion for the disbursement Of funds
derived by a guardian from the
sale Of lands. Senator Stewart's 81
suggestion Of annuities would be al
very proper solution of the prohh'a,
and ought to be adopted.
The exploitation Of questions
like these properly belongs toimmi-
grafton bureaus and the people of
the Indian Territory would find
ample support from all the railroad
bureaus if they would agree upon
some such plan Of procedure and
organize for this advancement.
The immigration agent of the rail-
road companies could be depended
upon TO present the matter TO con-
lgress in the most favorable light
and a vigorous campaign toward
that purpose ought not cost the
local bureaus any money at all.
| Chickasha ought 10 take thea Head
land keep it. Let rs have a local
! ureau at once. "A Citizen.