The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1905-03-08
ATTY. PARKER
RETURNS
And Gives A Brief Review of
Work Done at Washington

L. +. Parker, jr., attorney for the
Cherokee Nation, returned home yes
terday after an absence Of three
months in Washington, d. O., in the
interest Of the Cherokee people.
"While the Indian appropriation
bill does not show it, says Mr.. Parker,
''the last session of congress was a
most interesting one so far as the
Cherokees are concerned. 1t is not SO
much what was actually done, but what
might have been done that concerned
us most. Men we're there on behalf
of various interests and classes, and
amendments were urged which, II
adopted, would have entailed loss OF
hundreds of thousands of dollars to
the Cherokees. With the aid of the
Interior department all Of these pro-
posed amendments were defeated.
Among the amendments defeated
OF interest to US we're: The Stewart
amendments in all forms presented;
those to reopen citizenship cases where
persons we're rejected who had been
ON any roll; also those of Cherokee
blood who had been registered; and the
cases Of all persons who had been re-
jected because Of the provisions Of any
act Of congress, such, for example, as
that in the Curtis Bill requiring resi-
dence in the Nation; also, one proyid-
ing for reference to the United States
court OF all rejected freedmen cases;
private claims against the Nation ag-
gregating many thousands Of dollars,
and to give rejected applicants for
citizenship ninety days in which to
sell Improvements.
"The president approved all the bills
passed by the Cherokee National
council except thai providing for a
commission, and his omission TO ap-
prove this one came only after a con-
ference with the Senate and House
leaders who advised him there would
be no legislation at this congress for
winding up affairs in the Cherokee
Nation, therefore the commission could
render no real service at that time. F"
With reference to the approval Of
leases, Mr.. Parker expressed the belief
that the work hereafter would be much
facilitated, although the Department
insisted upon a strict adherence TO
present rules to keep the speculator
down as much as possible.
Concerning the removal of restric-
tions Mr.. Parker said:
ut was impossible for me to assent
to the proposition that all except full
bloods are competent, or that all full
bIoods were incompetent. With our
deeds undeliyered and $4,000 Chero-
KEGS who have not yet selected their
lands, the time was inopportune to
remove the restrictions generally. /
assisted all could in the effort to
establish sufficient machinery, either
with the courts or under the Interior
department to separate the competent
from the incompetent, but insisted
that they could not be divided by act
Of congress, along blood OF any other
lines"
Immediately after the adoption by
the Dawes commission Of the reSolu-
tior permitting persons on the doubt
ful roll to file, / filed a protest with
the Secretary OF the Interior on behalf
OF the principal chief. Pending de-
tailed report from the commission,
action was withheld, but we expect
the commission to stop these filings
within a few days"
Mr. Parker further stated that the
committee sent to Washington from
Vinita performed most excellent ser
vice under trying circumstances Each
member Of the committee attacked
those upon whom he had special claims,
and many on whom they had none,
with the result that Vinita would
have been included with the other
towns as a place Of holding court, had
A.