The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-09-13
DESIRES ResrRlcrroNs
Agent shoenfelt Wants indians to
Hold Land.

Muskoqee ]. T. sept. lJ.-AS iuf-
ther step TO protect the interests Of
the Indians. j. B. Shoenfelt Indian
agent In indian territory announced
that ne viii recommend TO the inter
Tor department a. Washington that
congress bo asked TO rass a bill this
winter extending the restrictions oI.
the sale Of Indian lands FOR at least
6v0 years froui the time they will he
come alienable under the present
agreements The agent believes that
this action will re necessary to pre-
vent large part OF the holdings Of
he Indians from falling into the
hands of nonresident speculators who
will take advantage OF the Indians
ignoranca as to the value OF their
ground TO buy 1t for song.
On March s. next year. the restric-
tions on oiarge amount Of Creek In
dian lands will be removed in accord
ance with the treaty Of March s,
1900. which provided that all except
the homestead lands Of the trihe
should he allenablc fve years from
the ratification of the agreement.
shorty after this. restrictions viii
also be removed from much Of tho
Chloe aw and Ckicl;asaw land This
will throw a lot of the Indian lard
upon the market at the very time
when it is boeouing valuable ald le-
fore the owners realize what the
ground is really worth 70 them
In discussing the recommendation
he will make to the department, Sir.
shoenfelt said: After reviewing a
large number Of petitions that have
been sent to this Office asking the
department for permission to sell their
lands AM convinced that the Indians
in tlds country, with few EXCEPTIONS,
nave no conception Of the real value
Of The land that has been allotted to
them by the government. One Indian.
for example, mad made arrangements
to sell his land for 81 an acre and the
buyer was to pay for 1t in instaliments
of $50 year, whereas the average
land buyer would be glad to get II for
sac an acre aud pay the cash ior 1t,
Fully 80 per cent of the petitions
showed similar lock or Judgment. The
Indian. who fo- SO many years was
in uurostrained possession OF the
broad acres of Indian territory and
WHO could Craze his herds wherever he
would, and til the plot of ground he
might choose withont paying rental OF
] purchase price. is slow to realize that
his land is now valuable, and that Il
disposed of now his home and heritage
viii be forfeited forever Many In
dians take the appraisemen's of thC
Dawes commission as criterion Of
true yalucs. when, as a matter OF fact
tile commission oaly set these value.
as a standard for making an equitable
aro neut. with no iitention Of esti
matiu gthc real worth az the land
which was appraised sometimes as
Low as 25 cents an acre The Indians
Who attempts to sell MS ground l,
these standards is simply robblnl
hi nself.
"Wher rcstrlc ions are removed OF
the sale OF Indian lands 1t will simpl!
throw down tic bars FOR class o
grafters and adye1tnyers who will buy
the land for almost nothing and ther
sell 1t to snecula'ors or to poor whit,
people on payments. taking mortgage:
on the lard Thus the present sub
stantial pcpulaton would be replaced
by a shifting popula'i and the farm.
would he heavily mortgaeed.
There are nov about 10000 native
Indians occupying their own lands IL
Indian territory and better and mor,
thrifty class OF people you never
found. About 25.OO0 OF ibis reputation
are full bloods and fully 10000 nor,
are Iudlans who have no knowledge
Of land values aud to turn these peo
pie over 10 the mercy OF the specula
tors would be disastrous 10 ihe In
dians' best interests, If bill IS pass
I cd extending restrictions these In
dams. being compelled 10 hold onif
I their lands. except whore a reason
able price is Offered and the govern
ment SECS TT 10 remove the reshtc
tions. viii continue 10 till their farms
/ As the white people come in and take
up homes beside them they viii in er
marry and finally Become permanent
~ GAed in their heritage Their landi
viii then be so valmcle that the,
aill not want 70 sell hem at whole
sale rates and an abiding and pros
percus population will be the result.
The secretary OF The interior ha
shown his confidence in The iufgnen
of Mr. ghaonffi ON all questions 3eT