New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-08
AMENDMENTS REJECTED.
Indian Bill Receives Rough Hand
Hng IN the Senate.

Washington. Feb. THE Indian Appropriation
bill received rough handling in the Senate to-day.
The amendments of the committee, and especially
those suggested by the special committee which
went to the Indian Territory last summer TO in
vestigate conditions there. nearly all rejected
points Of order.
The provision which allowed full blood Indians
OF the Indian Territory sell their surplus lands
was defeated by vote OF 81 to q, which leaves
in force the provision OF law known as the Nc
Cumber amendment, prohibiting the alienation Of
such lands for twenty-five years. The defeated
provision has been the subject of debate for the
greater part Of the last two days After II mad
been disposed Of late to-day the other committee
amendments which had been passed over the
first reading of the bill required TO and nearly
all were defeated On points Of order.
The coal land amendment, allowing the surface
of the coal lands in the Indian Territory to be
sold. which regarded as Of equal importance
with that providing for the removal of the restric-
tons alienation. ruled out on a point OF
order made by Senator Tillman.
Among the defeated amendments were the fol-
lowing: Allowing city and town officers in the
Indian Territory hold until the fate of the
new state constitution should be decided requiring
the recording in the courts of all Indian leases;
authorizing the Court of Claims to adjudicate pri-
Indian claims; allowing the surface Of coal
and Chickasaw nations; allowing the cancelling Of
certain Indian alloments in Nevada IN furtherance
avessate tRe eg G of Certain land transfers
by the Mexican kiCkapOO Indians of Oklahoma, ana
authorizing the Attorney General to make such IN
Vestigation.
Among the committee amendments which the
Senate agreed TO one authorizing the survey OF
additional towns in the coal and asphalt land re-
gion In the Indian Territory provision for the con-
tinuance of pending suit affecting the distribution
provision for opening the Blackfeet Indian reserva
ton IN Montana.
Only one contested amendment IN the bill remains
to be disposed Of that providing that the Court Of
Claims shall decide the right Of the Colorado ltes
10 about two million acres Of land which had been
taken by the government for forest reserve. Sen
Lodge has indicated his vigorous opposition 70
this claim. and Senator Patterson is supporting II
behalf of himself and Senator Teller, who IS alb
sent because of illness. This amendment VIII be
considered to- morrow when II is expected the bill
will pass.
The debate on the bill to-day was confined to the
amendment allowing land alienation. Senator
Stone made the principal speech for the amendment
and Senator Spooner the principal argument
against f.
President Roosevelt to-day issued order of in
terest tho whites who have intermarried with
Cherokee Indian women in the Indian Territory and
have settled the lands of that nation Il directs
a suspension until March Of Secretary Hitchcock s
order dispossessing them of ouch lands result
OF the decision of the Supreme Court Of the United
States several months ago. which declared IN effect
that such persons, not having complied with the
laws respecting citizenship were not entitled to
share IN the distribution Of the lands The date Of
dispossession is extended by the President in order
that the whites have time to dispose OF their
improvements such lands or Congress may have
an opportunity to enact remedial legislation.