The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-02-26


were fictitious persons suggested by
the attorney.
In a number OF cases claimants
changed their names TO agree with
that OF some remote ancestor from
whom they were tracing descent. In
several instances descent was claim.
ed from the sole son or daughter OF
some Choctaw chief of the early '30s.
Fortunately for the nations the gov.
ernment had record of the families
OF these chiefs. In one case where
| descent was traced from the sole son
Of a chief the government record
| showed that this chief had a family
OF nineteen Children in 1880. One
claimant prof6ssed to be a lneal de.
scendant of "Pochahontas, a Choctaw
chief whose wife was Tecumseh"
Nothing In Indian Territory, not
even the oil and gas resources in the
Cherokee and Creek nations, compares
in magnitude with the tremendous In.
forests involved in the disposition of
the Choctaw coal lands, worth, pos.
sibly, not less than 100 million dollars
The reciprocal syndicates organized
to acquire and control these lands are
believed to be rooted in practically
every state in the union where there
is great wealth for financing indus.
trial enterprises. The annual compen.
sation to lawyers, lobbyists and re.
tainers devoted to the plans of these
syndicates undoubtedly is large. Only
the purest and most unselfish patri
otism, transcending more than aver.
age honesty and uprightness OF char.
acter, can prevent the leaders OF this
nation from succumbing to the golden
overtures OF these synulcates to be
tray their tribesmen and engage in
| conspiracies that would rob the tribal
citizens OF fair price for their conl
lands and enrich to fabulous degree
the syndicates who would acquire
them. Both white and red citizens who
realize the gravity of the situation
stand appalled, at the opportunity for
vast graft.
The Atoka agreement provided that
the mineral rights IN the Choctaw and
Chickasaw nations should not be sold,
but held in perpetuity by tie tribes,
and the income from royalties used
! for the maintalnance OF tribal school
system. Later 1t was provided in the
supplemental agreement, adopted in
1902, that mineral lands aggregating
not to exceed half a million acres.
should be segregated and sold, the
mineral in all other lands to belong
to the citizen on whose allotment they
were found. This segregation was
made, but the lands have never been
sold, Secretary Hitchcock refusing to
sacrifice them at the prices offered
in the bids.
The new Curtis bill, as introduced,
provides for n method of sale that
places the responsibility largely upon
President Roosevelt and Secretary
Hitchcock. Full protection to the ma
ton will require more than absolute
integrity ON the part Of the sale com,
missloners. They must become accu
rately and intimately acquainted vita
every phase OF the mineral question
in the Choctaw Chickasaw country, at
first hand, and not through subordi.
mates, and they must devote them
selves to the closest scrutiny of every
thing involving the possibility of
wrong. Resolute as President Roose-
welt and Secretary Hitchcock are
known to be for unqualified honesty
in public service, their capacity for
insurlng a square deal in the sale of
the Choctaw coal lands will be taxed
to the fullest degree.
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