The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-07-15
oratons, Amusements and General
Entertainment Go TO Make Up
Merry Day at the Base Of the
Arbuekle Mountains.


selves
The usual holiday entertainer,
was In evidence and all went well
oratory which is becoming a stand
ard. par almost cash article. abound
ed aplenty
Ardmore furnished the goods on
this occasion and such men a. Hum.
phreys Dolman. Iodbetter and Russell
gave the people plenty TO think about
Mr Ledbettcr was the first speaker
and he devoted the first part Of his
speech 70 the history Of legislation az.
iecting the Indian Territory during the
past fourteen years. lie showed that
the Republican party was responsible
for all the legislation since the close
of the last Cleveland administration
that the A,oka agreement and the Sun.
Elemental Treaty were both shaped
into laws by the Republican Congress
before the Indians ratified them.
That the Act OF Congress which
created the Dawes Commission which
was passed by a Democratic Congress
authorized the Dawes Commission 20
treat with the Indian for the cesslon
of their lands 20 the United States or
the allotment Of their lands in several.
~. That the same authority was vest
cd In the Dawes Commission as was
conferred upon the various commits
sions which dealt with the Indian
tribes in Oklahoma: that In Oklahoma
the policy pursued by the government
was TO purchase the lands from the |
indians, and permitted the United |
States citizens TO acquire homesteads
al nominal prices. but that the trea
ties forced on the Inuians In this ter
ritory Uy the RepuDhcan Congress
provided for the allotment OF lands |
among the tribes, In such manner as
To prevent the white people from ac.
quiring title
That the recent Curtis act prohibit.
ed the full blood Indian from selling
their lands thus evdencing the pur
pose Of the RepuD"cans to prevent
the white people in Indian Territory
from becoming land owners.
That the same Act Of Congress that
passed the Curtis Bill in 1898. which
struck down all the leases and de-
stroyed all the rights OF the white
farmers In the Indian Territory. pass
ed the Free Homes" bill In Oklaho-
ma. That the Curtis bill. in It's opera
ton upon the Indian Territory, psr.
ilyzed and destroyed the holdings OF
he farmers In tIis territory. while the
Free Homes Bill" gave to the farm.
'rs Of that territory homes that are
now worth ATTY million dollars.
That the discrimination agalns.
he Indian Territory by the Repub-
ican party could not be accounted for.
MIR. Ledbetter also said that the
'onditlous In the state OF Oklahoma
made a rylroa. commission ahso
utcly necessary, that the western
,art of the territory was devoted al l
most entirely % agriculture. while
he eastern part was devoted to coal
liniug That when Ardmore had but
me- railroad coal was sold for $500
'er ton and that now since two addi.
Ional roads have been built into Ard !,
lurc. both coming from coal fields, the
eople had to pay $500 TO $3.50
ln. That the increased price was the
'sult OF the combination on the part n
{ the railroads and just such Combi. n
atlons affect not only those who con. Fl
lme coal but those who ship cotton C,
nd other products as well. rendered m
railroad commission absolutely nee c.
,sary
That II elected 10 the constitutional
invention. he would endeavor to have
it into the constitution provisions 81
hich would require the legislation ac
adopt a railroad commission law
milsr to that In Texas; that the 10
eNas railroad commission law had
ood the test Of the courts and been
lopted by many other states, and
at the state of Oilahom could not W
} better than hroht by the experience p'
Texas on this subject.
He also stated that In his opinion
q constitution should contain pro ho
sions which would compel all other
to conhne their business
the purposes for which they we're
artered and to keep out OF poll.
's be
He further stated that II he should me
permitted 10 help write the consti. Ru
lion. he would use his utmost EFFORTS