The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-04-10

through congress by the cmployes Of
the interior department
These restrictions annoy and lnjurc
those confessedly competent.
The rules and regulations of the
Interior Department built up upon
these unjustifiablc statues now make a
large book They are not easily under
stood. they are constantly revised and
changed. and are always subject to
further revision and alteration. The
effect Of this is that the homeseekers
excursions TO the southwest pass
through Indian Territory to Oklahoma
and Texas. whore the titles are intclli-
gible and easily understood The com
plexity Of titles in the Indian Terri
tory prevents in great measure thI i'm.
mediate development Of rs 'and areas.
II prevents those Indian citizens who
gro competent to manage their own
business from securing proper tenants,
and from obtaining the development
.of their properties
1t IS said that under the law any pre-
son who Is competent can have his r.
strlctions removed This Is not true,
because. I'm the anxiety Of the en-.
ployces OF the Interior Department to
dominate the oil region they refuse to
remove restrictions from anybody who
has property within that region. and.
strictions from those who are compe.
tent years have passed without any
substantial relief through this source,
8 and none can be expected.
These voNatious restrictions retard
! individual development.
No human being can develop or will
3 develop who is converted into de
pendent or pensioner History dem
, onstrates this. and reason confirms It,
- Tho wild Indian puts his child in swim
ming water and It swims. Individual
5 responsibility, individual initiative. Is
4 absolutely essential to individual de
, spOnsibility and, out of necessity, pf
- fort, Improvement and development
r will follow. These restrictions humil
{ late and huble the citizenship OF IN,
f. Five Civilized Tribes by the declara
S tion that they are unworthy and nm
II equal to rank with other men: tina
:. they occupy a lower grade. The NOR
g intelligent men are. the more keenl
l. they feel this, and the most intelligen
men In Indian Territory will not humi
q late themselves by seeking permissio
n from the clerks of the Interior Depar
= ment to exercise their rights as fire.
n. men and as citizens of the Unite
O. States The whole original purpose {
a Congress was TO develop the lndiai
,e but the Interior Department has gra,
Y. ually induced legislation to MULTI
IN this benevolent object
IN These restrictions retard the deve
d. opmcnt of the new state by preventin
10 hundreds Of thousands OF men who an
III INV l'llhlNN liblll D'Nblllllk lblll' wv
le 'ers. They prevent the best effort
lll the development of the land itself, f
We no man as n tenant will plant an o
III chard or vineyard. or give his time
ne the full improvement Of the proper
a as he would If 1t were his own and
he be his permanent home.
lis tions have repealed thousands of me
lr. who would have been glad to devclC
oil and mineral throughout this Sc
ii. tion. We know they have been drive
le away and thereby the property of Il
,r- Indians decreased in value and the
no vclopmCnt Of the state retarded Eve
IN. those Indians who do not wish to Sc
N. have been prevented by these rul,
from making contracts with the be
OF tenants will not come into cou
a try where property is insecure Al
le. where they have no opportunity to a
,b. qure title.
re- These injurious laws lessen taxab
values, and diminish the future rev
ot nue. for the support of the state, {
the support Of schools, for the suppo
nd OF roads, and those other convenienc
eli necessary to civilized life.
is II the country be not developed.
mt the land be not made productive, II
perfectly obvious that the state bel
&c. deprived Of revenue that would be p,
as sible cannot reach so high degree
we excellence
w. These restrictions have establish
we a bad method OF government
ur' This method encourages centralii
is tion; It encourages secrecy: it cncol
aid ages graft and corruption Tho restr