The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1906-01-29

minors should be definitely fixed in
the United States Court IN the Re
cording District where the estates of
said minor. or the principal part
| thereof is located.
Many minor allottees reside in the
mountainous portions Of the terri
tory. and their allotmeAts have been
taken in the agricultural district at
remote distances from the residence
Of such minors or their parents, such
distances averaging from probably
sixty or seventy.five miles to three
hundred miles. The object sought and
obtained in taking allotments was to
acquire good agricultural lands. and
said Jurisdiction should be vested in
the court where the lands are located
for the following reasons. viz:
First Because the guardianship or
curatorship would thereby be render.
ed less expensive to the estate.
Second. Because the guardian OF
| the estate Of a minor, where such es.
tate consists of lands, should reside
near the lands where he could give
It his immediate supervision and con.
troll.
Third Because in this way the
greatest revenue could be derived for
the estate inasmuch as the guardian
or curator would be familiar with con-
ditions and with the rental and real
estate values and with the people and
could therefore rent the land to
better advantage.
| Fourth. Because both tne estate
and the guardian should be as nearly
as possible under the immediate SUI
| pervision of the court, and the court
where the land is located would be IA.
miliar with conditions, with real and
rental values and would be in the best
possible position to pass upon con-
tracts made by the guardian or cura.
tor for the estate of his ward
Section 20 Of said bill should be
stricken out entirely.
These Indians have always been
permitted to rent CT lease their hold
ings ana froI th time allotment be.
gan in the Indian Territory, the only
restrictions placed upon leases was
that they should be in writing for a
term not exceeding five years, and
for a fair consideration, Under this
law thousands of Indians have been
enabled to acquire valuable improve
ments upon lands which they have
filed upon and taken in allotment and
paid for same in the use of said
lands for the term agreed upon, I'm
no instance exceeding five years.
They have made good trades and
have been greatly benefited
The Appropriation Bill approved
March 3rd 1905, Publlc No. 212J on
pages II and 10 reads in part as fol
lows:
1T shall be the duty of the Secre-
tary of the Interior to investigate, o.
cause to be investigated, any lease
of allotted land in the Indian Terr>
has been obtained by fraud or in vi
olation of the terms of existing agree
ments with any of the Five Civilized
Tribes, and he shall in any such case
where In his opinion the evidence
, warrants u, ter the matter TO tn
, attorney general for suit in the prope'
United States court TO cancel The
, same. and in all cases where II may
. | appear to the court that any lease
was obtained by fraud or in violation
OF such agreements, judgments shall
be rendered cancelling the same upog
c | such terms and conditions as equity
: may prescribe, and II shall be allowa
BILE in cases where all parties in in
!. | terest consent thereto to modify any
;. lease and to continue the same al
modified Provided, No lease made b!
!. | any administrator, executor, guardian
/. or curator, which has been investi
| gated by and has received the appro
!. val of the United States Court having
. | Jurisdiction Of the proceeding shall b,
/. subject to suit or proceeding by tn,
o. | Secretary of the Interior or Attorne!
/. | General; Provided further No leas,
p made by any administrator, eXecu
;. tor guardian or curator, shall be val
, id or enforclble without the approva
y of the court having jurisdiction o
f the proceeding"
8 This act puts it in the hands of tn,
Secretary of the Interior to protec
the full blood alottees in the matte
Of their leases from any over reach
@ ing by the whites. withstandini
$ this has been the law for nearly
= year no suit, so far as we know, ha