The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-28
SENATOR OWEN WkyES ANGRY Mo Dramatic Scenes on Senate Floor. s4DIAN AGAINST INDIAN Engages in Sharp Controversy with
 Senator Curtis.
  In rr-kie roae. .arr. Owen Declared He Was Not Under Control of
 the Secretary of Interior. 
DIAN AGAINST INDIAN

F 9Nt4iu6t & 0bs. Sts--<nC OA tAio most dramatic scenes ever witnessed in the Senate was enacted today when Senator Robert L. Owcn. of Oklahoma. insisted in tragic tones and with face showing much emotion, that the five civilized tribes of Indians were dead. and that he. as a member of the tribe of Cherokee Indians. wassnot under the control of the Secretary of the Inte- rior.
 The effect was rendered all the more interesting by the fact that Mir. Owen was sharply engaged in controversy by Senator Charles Curtis (xas) himself Raw Indian.
 It wa5 the first time that two men with Indian, blood in f air veins had ever locked horns as . aators in the Senate chamber. The controversy arose in connection with the consid- eration of the Indian bill and was pre- cipitated by an effort on the part of Mir. owen to have that bill so amend ed as to recognize the citizenship of the i've civilized tribes of Indians by putting the word Tate" before this designation and calling them the late five civilized tribes.
 Mir. Curtis sought to interrupt MT i. owen before the Oklahoma Senator had concluded his first sentence.
 "But," intorposed the Kansan. your property is under the control of the Secretary of the Interior and you know it.''
 T do not" retorted Sir. owen.
 Owen's Tribal Properly.
 Mir. Curtis insisted upon his views of the status of the Oklahoma Senator. He did not contend that the property of the Senator from Oklahoma, aside from that owned as a member of the Cherokee tribe of Indians. was under the Secretary's control. but his tribal property was.
 'I think you ought not to be under the control ef the secretary, but you ara
 IA .T agree" quickly replied MT, Owen. with the Senator from Kansas, that I ought not to be. I disagree with him that am"
 The dramatic tone of the Oklahoma senator rather startled the chamber and tho people in the galleries leaned forward to see the participants of the wordy battle. Senator Owen left his place in the rear of the chamber and advanced to the central aisle where he was within sight of every one.
 The twoN senators of Indian blood were now facing each other twenty feet apart. Both appeared to have lost sight of parliamentry rules and were carrying on personal colloquy.
 Mir. Owen proceeded to say the Su- prefne Court of the United States had declared that Indians holding allotted lands are citizens of the United States. Rising to his full height, his olive-colored face showing that his pride had been pricked by the suggestion that, he was under the control of the secretary of the inter- for and with tone most tragic, Sem ator Owen continued:
 The Cherokee nation can demand no allegiance from me. I owe them no allegiance. The only allegiance owe, to my government of the United States and to the State of Ok lahoma. say the Supreme Court has passed upon this matter. aud shall insist that 1t Is right that the word late shall be included in that amend ment."
 Mir. Curtis then took the floor. and began by saying he had merely desired to. interrupt the Oklahoma Senator so that he might be able to make a cor rect statement to the senate.
 Not an Alien.
 Mf. Owen insisted that a man belong. ing to an Indian tribe is a subordinate or ward and an alien. which. he said, was not compatible with American citi- zenship. Am an alieh?' be ex- claimed.
 Senator Garter came to the rescue and attempted to show that both Sem ators were right. He said he did not wonder that me Oklahoma Senator re- scented the idea that he was under tn c control of the Secretary of the Interior HIS remarks brought the Senate into a better humor and laughter displaced the strained state of mind that had prevailed.
 Senator Gore. the blind Senator from Oklahoma. added to the relaxed tension by making a suggestion for a way out of the difficulty.
 "It would be we'll" he said ''for the Senate to recognize the belligerent rights of these two Indiana"
 Both of the objects of this sally joined ;n the laughter that filled the ch amber Republican side and. approaching Sena- seat by his side. The two laughed good aturedly and appeared to be continuing the discussion so heatedIy begun on the floor
 After further debate, fin which Messrs Owen, Curtis, Clapp. McCumber and Lodge participated, MT. Owen's propo- sftton to designate the Indians as the late five civilized tribes. was voted down. Mir. Owen being the only one to vote for it.
 
 REDUCTION IS ACCEPTED,