The Washington herald., 1908-02-28
INDIAN SOLONS CLASH
Senators Owen and Curtis
Have Warm Debate.
CONTEST IS PURELY VERBAL
But Asperity Is More Prominent
Than Senatorial COurfesy--Okla-
hOman Defends Citizenship Rights
of His Adopted Tribe-Gore sux-
sests Recognition of BeIIigereney.

The United States Senate yesterday was
the battle-ground OF the Cherokee and
the Kaw Indian nations; but, alas. the
Indian nowadays uses neither tomahawk
nor thunder stick. so that the battle was
a bloodless one.
Senator owen, OF Oklahoma, who has
Cherokee blood in his veins, and Senator
Curtis, of Kansas. who is proud of the
fact that he is one Of the last remaining
Kaws, were the principals, and, the
weapons were words. that at times held
more Of asperity than Of Senatorial
courtesy.
The Indian appropriation bin was being
considered. and Senator owen wanted 70
amend line Of the bill by Inserting be-
fore the word Cherokee" the qualifying
word late" Mr. Curtis objected, main
tanning that the Five Civilized Tribes still
occupied. legally speaking, tribal relations
toward the United States government
This was so. he said. both in usage and
in law.
Filings Challenge at Curtis.
III debate the matter with the Senator
from Kansas now" declared Senator
owen, rising in his seat and moving to-
ward the center aisle He was visibIy
excited.
Sir" he added. addressing the Vice
President, Il am Senator OF the United
States, and member of living tribe
OF Indians, and. as such, under the au-
thority OF the Secretary OF the Interior %
and you know IT. interposed Mr.. Curtis.
Il deny it," retorted the Senator from
/ Oklahoma
But the land you hold as An allotment
from the Cherokee tribal lands is so
held" replied Senator Curtis.
Il agree that the land is so held but
! insist that il ought not TO be-" said the
Cherokee Senator. returning TO the fray.
Il was an adopted member OF the late
/ Cherokee tribe. also member by blood
| BY the act OF Congress OF March 3. 1901.
which I had the honor 20 draw. all In
dans In the Indian Territory were made
citizens OF the United States. with all the
rights OF citizens one Of these individual
rights is the control OF ones property"
owen I'm HIS Element.
/ The Senator OF Cherokee blood then
| discussed the law affecting the property
made a study or il. and his fortune OF
more than a million dollars has been
earned as lawyer IN litigation affecting
| Indian property rights
Mr.. Curtis sought to interrupt him.
Il decline to be interrupted snapped
the Cherokee Senator.
Mr. Curtis was plainly nettled by the
summary manner in which the only other
/ Senator Of Indian ancestry had cast him
off. for when Mr. Owen later offered TO
/ entertain the question from his Kaw
brother. the latter remarked. teTsely: Il
/ have no question to ask now"
Mr.. owen continued in an impassiOned
| speech TO defend his individual rights as
a citizen OF the United States OF Indian
blood. He denounced the construction
placed upon the law by the Interior De
! partment, by which the government stiil
seeks 10 control allotted lands. He said
that the insertion OF the word late" was
necessary 10 give the Indian a proper
status.
A little later in the course OF his re-
marks Mr.. owen was interrupted by his
Kaw colleague. Mr.. Curtis, who decided
a question.
BeIIigerent Rights Demanded.
Then Mr. owen appeared unwilling to
yield, his Cherokee blood having mounted.
This moved Mr. owens colleague, Mr..
Gore, the blind Senator. 10 request the
Vice President 10 recognize the belliger-
ent rights 20 these two Indians"
This caused an uproar Of laughter. but
Vice President Fairbanks considered II no
laughing matter. and reprimanded the
galleries severely.
Again Senator Curtis sought to inter
pose a question
| Does the Senator from Oklahoma
yield2" asked the Vice President
"Oh, yes" replied Mr.. Owen. waving his
hand in a deprecating way toward his
Kaw. brother.
well, you don't need to- snapped Mr..
Curtis, his eyes flashing. 'T wanted to
ask If il isn't time that the government
exercise legal control over your Chero-
kee tribal land?"
THE Senator from Kansas, I presume,
believes it" said Mr.. Owen. But I hold
that, as a citizen of the United States, I
can dispose Of my property-sell il. give
it away-and there is no power in the
Federal government to prevent it"
Carer Has Narrow Escape.
Senator Carter, of Montana, tried to get
in. but his white chin whiskers were
grazed by the Cherokee rhetorical scalp
ing knife, and he essayed no further in
! terruptiOn.
The colloquy was interrupted by the IN
finished business, laid before the Senate
at o'clock. The Cherokee Senator rush
ed over to the Republican side and ex-
tended his hand 20 the Kaw brother.
They seem 10 have buried the hatchet.
remarked Senator Carter; and the gal
leries roare6 again.
After the Aldrich bill had been dis
cussed by Senator McCreary. the Senator
from Oklahoma again took the floor and
reopened the Indian debate. This time
however, there was no helligerency, and
Senator McCumber took up the cudgels
for Senator Curtis contention. A long
legal debate ensued and when the vote
was put Senator Owens amendment was
lost