The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-04-18
THE DELIVERY OF DEEDS.

There Is now being held In the OF
fee OF the commission 10 the five civ.
.ilized tribes at Muskogce something
over 5000 deeds to lands in the Choc.
taw and Chickasaw nations. These
deeds are held by the commission un.
der directions from tie sccrtary Of
the interior The question Of the dc
livery OF deeds has been a question
Of much controversy between the sec.
Rotary Of the interior and the prin.
cipal chief OF the Choctaw nation and
the governor Of the Chickasaw ma
tlon. and had Il not been for the sec
retary's interference. these deeds
or a great portion Of them, woud have
been delivered long ago. The sccrc
tary claimed that II was his duty 10
approve the deeds before they were
delivered. This The Executives OF the
nations claimed he had no right To
DO under the law. The law Is as FOL.
lows:
THAT. as soon as practicable after
the completion Of said allotments. the
principal chief OF the Choctaw nation
and the governor OF the Chlckasaw
nation shall Jointly execute. under
their hands ana seals Of the respect.
i've nations. and deliver to each of
said allottces patents conveying to
him all the risr.. II, and In, rest.
etc
Clearly under the Law. the sccrc
tary has no right to approve tho
deeds. but he would not permit the dc.
livery of them TO the executives OF
the nations for signature until they
had agreed to return them TO him
for approval. lie waved the big
stick" so successfully that they lnal.
u gave In. but with much reluctance.
and for some time the chiefs have
been signing deeds and they have
been returned TO tho commission. AZ
ter having won his point the secrC.
tary began TO be alarmed as TO his
right TO approve the deeds, so they
have been held and not delivered uu-
,il legislation could be had on the
subject This Legislation is now in
the so-called Curtis bin. providing for
the winding up OF the affairs Of the
Eve tribes and Is as follows:
"And all patents or deeds OF allot
ments shall be recorded by the com.
! mission to the fvo tribes. and when
10 recorded shall convey legal title
and shall be delivered under direction
of the secretary OF the interior"
The non.dcliycry OF deeds is but
an instance OF the socretary's hgh.
handed way of doing things in the
Indian Territory. Law or no Law. his
will N supreme.
Tho question OF the approval and
the mode of delivery OF deeds is not
of so much Importance as the delay
| Il has occasioncd. as the non-delivery
Of the deeds to the allotteos has pre-.
vented the sale OF lands and the con.
soquent growth OF the country, as
purchasers will not buy until the
/ deed has been delivered.
In the Choctaw and Chlckasaw na'
tions onefourth OF the surplus lands
may be sold within one year from the
date OF patent. onefourth In three
: years and the balance within fvo
years from date Of patent
Tho commission began the propara.
items OF deeds 10 lands In the Choc-
taw and Chickasaw nations as far
back as May. 1901. and had they
been delivered as fast as tnoy we're
prepared and not held up, the Indians
could have been In n position to dis.
pose IN portion Of their allotmeuts
| since that time.
Tho secretary now having every
thing his own way and authority 20
deliver tho deeds. IL IL hoped that ne
Will do fao without any further qmbbllng
or red tape. Then watch US grow