The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-05-10
BiLLINGER ON RESTRICTIONS
SAYS HIS POSITION ON THIS
QUESTION HAS NOT BEEN PUT
IN RIGHT LIGHT BY PAPERS.
Washington. u. c.. Ma, 3. 1905

Editor Ardmurcitc:
Many articles have appeared in the
oklahoma papers cousuriug Mr. Lee
and myself for opposing the removal
of restrictions.
These ucN paper articles have m-
altnrtout, put u- boo false position
aud ! request that you print This com.
uuuiDIuuu 300 the ArdmOrcitc, in or.
u-r tult our position upon the bill
for the removal Of restrictions and
other similar measures now pending
in congress may Doe correctly under
stood by the people Of the Choctaw
and ChiChasaw nations.
We are not opposed to The removal
of restrictions when the common
property of the Choctaws and Chick
aslVs has been properly divided
among the legal owners thereof n
srNorilty. or until sOmc provision has
been made which will protect the
rights of those persons who are In
law "puit, and good conscience en-
titled tu share iu the distribution Of
this property
The enactment into law of the bin
removing restrictions as originally iu.
todu.cd. aud ls 10 passed tho house
would have financially ruined thou
smds Of honest and rIGhtml claimants
to this property. There are between
nyr ana seven thousand persons re-
siding m the ChOctaw and Chickasaw
nations. who are Choctaws OF Chick
asaws by blood and who have been
denied enrolment by the administra
tiy" officers under law which direct
ed the enrolment and allotment OF
land to every person who was OF In
dian blood These five To seven thou.
sand persons have bccn living on
their lands for many years In some
eases they and their ancestors have
been living ON the land for genera.
tions They have spent the savings OF
years in improving their property.
when the administrative officers de-
MED them the right 10 enrolment.
their lands upon which they had i'm.
pruyemcnts were allotted TO persons
whose names appear ON the tribal
rolls This passed the legal title to
these lands 90 the person holding the
allotment certificate The persons
living ON the land held only the cQut.
able title The removal of rcstric.
'I''lI" 70 I'N lIIN lkIII To- Nf'II ana amen.
ate the land OF allOttocs would permit
th" person holding the allotment Ger.
tihcatr 90 the land upon which auoth.
cr person was then living and had i'm.
proved 10 sell and convey the legal
title 10 a third party or innocent pur-
chaser and thereby sell the homes of
these people and so complicate the
situation that IL would be practically
impossible for them to secure any re-.
lief
We have insisted and ] believe We
will b" successful. that when this bill
removing the restrictions upon the
right 20 sell and ALLEVIATE the land
(which exist In our opinion. only In
theory and not I'm law becomes law.
that II shall contain some provision
authorizing those persons who are ad.
mitcdly of Cho. taw or Chlckasaw In.
dian blood, and by reason of their
blood have vested right, IN this prop
crty 90 go into the United states
courts and have their claims iudicially
determined
This provision would operate as no.
Vice tn the world that II the claims OF
these people Who have been denied hy
the administrative officers are de-
creed ayoraby to them hy the
court, that their right TO the property
ON which they have made improve
mcuts is paramount to the right of
the person who holds the allotmcu,
certificate
We only ASK that those persons VINO
have been through nadycrtcucc. mis-.
take or fraud committed hy admins
tratiyc officers denied their property
rights. be given the common prlyl.
lrge OF every American citizen to go
into the courts of our country AID
have their rights determined
This We have insisted upon and
this W. will ever insist upon untu
these outragcs have been rightcd. and
unul the rights OF these people have
hoen passed upon 10y a court
We believe that our position Is ua-
1~rulHhIr and will meet with the
unanimous approval of am honest uen
]. our clients have NOT legal rights ).
can hHr' Ho one tu permit, chem t1 ro
into '.o courts and have Gc. rur tl
''.' I.' entered lf ou 'hr 1.l.r
0ni 'h.' have been uuusNy denied
'n..r rights ly Administrative. oMyrrs
'H"E have % right under our rcmnlI-
OlH form OF goNommeut Oh have tarlr
tlF u court
This Will not interfere with the ..',
and alienation of land legally and laN.
n'ly allotted to persons found bs the
administrative officers To hc enulcd
to enrolment and alotmruts. and Will
only a0ect allotmcnts that have been
unlawu.ly made 10 persons who had
no right 20 select the property they
have selected. and which property he
/ longs to other people
Trusting that | have made our no
/ siuou plain and tuat YOU will be- kind
enough to print this In the Ardmore-
| ID" I'm order that our position may be
fully understood | remain
Very sincerely yours.
WEBSTER BAILINGER
a Happy Fatn'r
I is soon furuaI T., gal ,pa 90 a., h,.,