The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-11-15
CLAPP FAYORS REMOVAL
WantSReStnct ctiOnSSurrOund.
ing Indian AffairSKnOcked

tltbui HoNtiHultAls 90 tue NNe clNlliatu
tribes of Indians in Indian Territory. on
March g. next, there may come the re-
mova Of an restrictions on the disposal
Of Indian lands. except homestead az
iotments There is "a growing sentiment
10 thedirection OF wide open" policy
when the tribal governments cease to
exist, which win allow the Indians to
dispose Of their surplus lands at once
instead Of waiting until the two or three
pr five years shall eiapse undor the
present law. The general theory is that
II restrictions are to be removed at all
a differenc Of two or three sears Is
not going to injure the Indian. and it
VIII give prospective settlers and pur-
chasers chance that much sooner. or
before tn land grafters have got an the
/ desirable land tied up with mortgages.
a very good reason also for the be-
lief that legislation will be enacted at
the coming congress removing restsic-
tions is thereported attitude Of Senator
Moses Chpp Of Minnesota. who is TO
become chairman of the senate commit
tee on Indian affairs Senator Clapp
has made a tour through the territory.
and is said to be in favor Of removisg
restrictions from all Indian lands. save
the homesteads, at once
Senator McCumber Of North Dakota
is in line for the chairmanship of the
committee on Indian affairs. but viii re-
l.@quish his clans by rlght OF seniority
to Senator Clapp, because he perfers to
fetan The chairmanship OF the senate
committee on pensions. When seen az
the interior department today. jusi att
he had left the Office OF Secretary
Hitchcock. Senator gTcCumber said he
understood that Senator Clapp en-
tertained the views above mentioned re-
garding the disposition Of Indian lands.
Senator McCumber said he was almost
Of the opposite opinion but he thought
majority OF the senate committee
would side with Senator Clapp.
Popular With conpressmen,
The removal OF all restrictions seems
TO be the popular move. especially
among members OF congress and sena-
tors from states in which there are In
dian lands desired by white prospective
settlers The passage OF ownership Of
lands IN Indian Territory, especially 20
white persons. would be particularly de-
sirable If statehood is to be given TO
Oklahoma and Indian Territory COM
bined or even singly, as the lands could
then be taxed AS for the homesteads OF
the Indians they not anenable for
twenty years fror fne time Of the dis
solution Of the u.--.i governments.
Secretary Hitchcock. when asked con
eerning the matter said he anticipated
move In congress to throw omen the
doors by removing an restrictions
though, he said. It was Impossible TO
predict what congress would do In thai
direction Another prominent official OF
the department said that, in his opinion.
would make little difference in the
welfare OF the Indian II the Restrictions
on the sale OF his lands were removed
this winter, as thre wer only few
years remaining in which the restric-
lions would apply under The present
law and the Indian would be found tho
same az the expiration Of the restricted
term as he is today-throe or five
years would not suffice 10 work a revo.
lu''on IN MIN. or to remove his desire
10 sell his land II he took the notion.
Tie did not think the removal OF re-
s'rieuons now would give any more adj
vantage 10 the CRATER than he would
nave iater In fact. the land CRATER
was getting In his work under the pres
ent law through progressive leasing.
me indians now have the right 10 lease
their lands for hye years The graft-
ers nave been securing hv year leases
from Indians. which thy renew ach year
ior another fve-year term, SO that bv
the operation Of the law there viii stll
oe hVe-yar lease on hundreds OF tracts
Law Works Against Indian.
The prospective purchaser OF these
lands would not want 20 buy trouble he
would not want 10 purchase land which
ne could not get possession OF for 6ve
years. This is especially true Of the
propeciiye settler. who wants TO an the
land at once, and he would naturally
pass up offers of lands 50 encumbored
This Is the situation the land grafter is
seeking 10 create. re win have the In-
dams land so tied up that he can buy 8,
at ridiculously low figure, because no
one else win buy a.
Ihua, IL was admitted. the present
l,v which restricts the Indians from
The sale OF Their property under certain
conditions Is really operating 90 their
disadyantage Some ~ thsm can sem
portion of their surplus lands IA two
years from the date of th TO- deaI an-
other portion in three years ard 10 hall
ance in hYe years from the FIRST date.
BY renewing me leases yearly. and each
tim taking lease for nv years. the
grafters In reality gct ten-year lease
in the way they are working Tie In-
dams
Senator Clapp as wen as members OF
the house committee on Indian affairs I
studied the situation in The territory 1
during ths past summer. end some n-
teresting developments may BE- expected
at "a coming session OF congress anoct- I
ing ih disposal of Indian ands. IL sI
possible that legislation win be- sought /
70 repeal the preeni laws So as 20 re- 4
r'pYe The restrictions finultaaeously /
with mo dissolution Of me tribal gov
ernmcnta.
DO not be deceived by counterfeifs
vi