The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-09-06
GOVERNORS S MESSAGE
(Conciuded from Page y

snail be filled by appointment ny lhc
president of the United States. 1t Is
also provided that in case any such
chief executive shall refuse to act in
any rlatter requiring action by him,
he shall be removed and his successor
likewise appointed by the president.
Does this not certainly mean that the
chief executive shall serve until the ar.
rival of tae contingency permitting an
appujntment by the president The
tribal laws are ample and sufficient for
the filling Of vacancies and tie elcc
tion of successors and If such tribal
laws are still IN force and tribal elec.
iions are .uu To BE- held, how may
the president exercise the power vest.
I'd in him By Congress? TO hold In
render the act Of Congress wholly
inopcratiyc and prevent the president
% tnc United States from discharginH
the duty required Of him by law BE.
lieying the intention of Congress TO
De plain aud that the construction ui
the law here referred % bc the cor.
rect one. am continuing TO exercise
the duties of governor of the ChicEa
saw nation and shan continue to so do
unless there should arise some con
tingency which do not now iorcsee.
Toe history Of our Efforts TO ad.
vantapeously dispose Of The coal and
favor Of further tribal elections would
asphalt deposits in the Choctaw and
Chickssaw Nations, by sale, Ia well
known. The plan approved by our peo
pie is contained in the supplementary
agreement ratified by act of Congress
and approved July i, 1902 That plan
was for the sale of the lands at public
auction in areas not to exceed 600
acres each. This plan was not carried
out At the urgent request of the
secretary of the interior this plan was
changed in 1903, so as TO permit the
sale under sealed proposals under the
direction cf the secretary of the inter
Tor. This plan of sale was attempted
but proved a total failure and thus the
matter stands The whole time from
1902 to the present time has been con.
sumcd and no ten acres of the lands
mas been sold.
Every legislature that has assembl.
ed since 1902 has passed resolutions
fully covering the subject and urging
the sale of tn coal and asphalt lands
AT public auction as provided in the
supplementary agreement II Is the
practically unanimous wish of ouT
people tha, this property be disposed
Of by sale at tn earliest possible
time and the money distributed pei
capita In order that they may hay,
the benefit of it in the improvement
Of their allotmants, and it is my sug
gestion that you pass . memorial coy
ering this subjec, as heretofore anC
that the same be duly transmitted t'
congress
AT the last session Of our lcgisla
ture / recommended that a resolution
be passed urging the passage of a Law
by congress providing for the remoya
of restrictions upon the alienation
of the lads of ali adult citizens
except their homesteads. This rec
ummo ndaticn | now renew The actor
which has been taken by the depart
ment of the interior and by congres
upon this subject seems to be base
upon a limited and insufficient know
edge of the needs and conditions q
our people. To permit the sale of TN
surplus lands OF adult citizens onl
in small tracts and at stated times
and after the taking of evidence an
lease then only after the conduct q
proceedings before the department G
tn interior only, places or peopl
at the mercy of those wh
would prey upon them. So long as
is known abroad that no considcrab
portion of the lands are for sale
lease. hence only after the conduct of
complicated and long drawn out pr
coediugs before the interior dopar
mcnt. no homcseokcrs and suhst0uu
land buyers of means will be attrac
ed to our country. II the restriction
upon the alienation of the surplus lar
~ al admit p.r.Duu ara removed