Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1904-12-27
The COMMISSION
MAKES REPORT
It's Report Has Been Made Public 1t
National Capital.
OF MUCH INTEREST.
Document Is General Review OF
Conditions In the Indian Terri.
tory Affecting Red Men the
Past Six Years.

Washington, Dec. 27.-The annual
report of the Dawes commission on Its
work for the five civilized tribes OF
Indians in the Indian Territory las
been made public and is a general @e-
view OF the partition and allotment
OF lands OF those Indians during the
past six years. The time consum-d
in the change from the old system to
the new" the commissioners say. has
| been a most irksome period to the
people OF Indian Territory and the
commission is not unmindful of that
fact. To many candid observers the ex
ecutlon Of the task has seemed to be
both tedious and expensive"
While admitting that criticism was
to be expected. the report goes on to
say that II is not just TO show that the
time has been well occupied In secur-
Ing correct roll OF the people, in CO.
tanning inventory of their property
and interlacing improving.
OF the difficulties of the several d.
Every adult or head of a family in
total of more than 100000 citizens
and claimants WAS personally exam
lned and his previous tribal record
was looked up. OF this number and
I'm this way more than 10000 have
been examined since June 2S. 1898
The proceedings were all taken down
especially as every case could be car
ried to Washington on appeal. and Of
ten the record OF a single case was
hundreds Of pages IN extent. OF the
above number OF people approximately
10000 will be adjudged to lawfully
possess tribal membership and prop
erty rights: and It can readily be seen
how less careful course OF proceed
ure would have utterly dissipated the
properties of the tribes.
las TO the appraisement OF the land.
Il was thought that tracts of forty
acres or a quarter OF a section was as
small division as could be reasonably
be made the subject of personal in
spection. This acreage was adopted
as the unit In determining the grade
and value OF lands. but ecen this re-
quired the locating inspecting. CLASH
flying and valuing Of nearly 100000
tracts Of land.
AS for safeguarding the occupancy
and Improvement rights OF the people
their houses. harms. fences and other
improvements had TO be located by
actual surveys and with minute ac-
curacy. Perhaps hardly a ma1 he |
Territory knew the sectionaf
OF his farm or the sectional location
OF a single one of his improvements
and hence there was no source Of ac-
curate information respecting these
matters except the surveys and loca-
ton of Improvements made by the
commission.
The report adds: I'VE have been
daily witnesses OF the distress OF the
people caused by delay. not only of the
approximately 10000 citizens OF the
tribes. but also OF the estimated $780,
900 residents OF the Territory whose
legitimate interests suffer from an un-
settled state Of affairs.
1T will be seven years consumed I'm |
this work IL II f. completed as we ex-
pect. by July 1. 1905. and the admins
tration of these committal estates |
amounting TO nearly 20.0OO.00O acres |
OF land and to perhaps hundreds Of
millions OF dollars In actual values. |
will then have consumed that amount |
OF time and have cost less than 10 |
cents per acre. We trust that a con-
sideration OF the facts here stated will !
lead to the conclusion that under the |
circumstances the time consumed has /
not been unreasonable or the cost un-
duly great"