The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-02-13
MURRAY'S SPEECH ON
PURCHASING COAL LANDS

eminent buy the lands; they couldn't
be bought by the government for the
reason that few years ago the
limited states government gave to the
railroads. traycrsing that country a
charter saying that they should have
every alternate section Of land on
leach side of the road for iyc miles
|lf the titles should ever become or
| be- vested In the government Of the
Tinted States. The moment the gov
Iornmcnt should own those lands, that
moment the railroads would come in
and claim every alternate section
|along their right Of way and would
make claim to get the coal lands ir-
Irrespective of distances, and for the
sections that have been allotted by
| the Indian ttzcns and taken for
Itownsitcs. Recently the president
suggested that "a corporation be form
ed to take over the lands with each
land every citizen OF the Indian tribes
as a stockholdcr. What does that
mean? That simply means that they
would be perpctuated In tNs hands
Of the federal government undcr the
interior department, to lc controlled,
the rate Of royJltr To be- "Ncd by
them. and in the end -, Indian
would get uothill, and th" western
part Of this state and the users OF
coal would be ground down TO dust
M they are now for the price of that
product. II would mean they would
Ihavc an interest the railroads that
haul that coal. the carriers, would
have a connection with It's mining and
with It's ownership and with its con
Itrol. and that we would have no
means of regulating the prices of that
product strip from the railroads and
the common carriers the right to
manage It, or to do anything but the
business Of transportation; provide
Tor strong commission and We can
reduce the rate and fix the price at
the mines whereby the users of coal
can get II at a reasonable price and
lat the same time give to the people
|of this state royalty that would
Imcan one million dollars annually
/ say to you that 1t is an opportuni'
lty that YOU cannot lose, and | say
to YOU now that If you don't do il
before congress takes action it Will
pass from you forever. The Indians
own this property; thoy are anxious
mot to be swindled out of it, they
want something cut Of It and they
are anxious to turn It over to tn,
people OF the state believing the stat,
will give them Justice, because IL
their experience in the past they have
not had justice at the hands Of the
; interior department They are afrait
, they look with alarm upon the prop
c3ition Of Incorporating them into {
corporation, OF each and every either
of the tribe, as stockholders. Th,
! only solution they see to sell in
, lump and e. get their money roadil,
lis To sell to the state. The stat
could use the 10000 donated by con
grcss and for the balance issue bond
, bearing a low rate of interest, run
ming for nifty years by which thcs
lands could bc bought and the roya
3 Is would create an interest and sink
! ing fund that would pay the intcrcs
and fully pay of those bonds an
/ produce more. the amount remaining
/ to ho used for the benefit of IN
I schools of this state. As husincs
, proposition. there isn't better on
. offered To the people of the state q
{ Oklahoma II YOU will appoint thi
. commission and follow II up with IN