The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-03

XEOuDtc--OHCHS OI OhlSttfOuAxSs HAA-
gered at Statement That He Was
Under Control OF Secretary of the
InteriOr-incident Ends lii Laugh
ter. 81 -G s
Washington, February 27.-One of
the = ROst dramatic scenes ever wit
Messed in the senate was enacted to-
day when Senator Robert l.. owen,
of Oklahoma, insisted in tragic tones
and with face showing much emotion
that the five Civilized tribes OF In
dians were dead and that ne as a
member of the. tribe of Cherokee In
dams was, not under the control OF
the secretary Of the interior. The
event was rendered all the more in
tereSting by the fact that Mr.. owen
was sharply engaged in controversy
by Senator Charles Curtis, of Kan
sas. himself a Kaw Indian. 1t was
the first time that two men with In
dian blood in their veins had ever
locked horns as senators in the senate
chamber. u...
The controversy arose in connec-
ton with the consideration Of the In
dian bill and it was precipitated by an
effort on the part of Mr.. Owen to
have the sabill 50 amended as to recog-
nize the citizenship of the Ave civil
iiz@ tribes of Indians by putting the
VOID '1ate""g before this designation
and cailingsgthem ''the late five civil
iized tribesFt9Il
MT. CurttE sought to interrupt Mr..
Owen before the Oklahoma senator
had concluded his first sentence.
9But,"a Interrupted the Kansan,
Your property is under the control
of the secretary of the interior and
YOU know it,
IT do not,"5, retorted Mr. Owen.
AT. Curtis insisted upon his view
of Tthe status of the Oklahoma sena-
tor He hid not contend that9thel pro-
petty of sthe| senator from Oklahoma
aside fromYfthat owned as a. mem
bef of the Cherokee tribe or Indians,
was under the secretary, >but that his
tribal property was Il think you
ought not to be under control Of the
secretary, but you are, he said.
II agree" he replied, with the SEN
atOrs from Kansas that I ought not to
be A. disagree with him that I am. ~
The dramatic tones of the Oklahoma
senator startled the chamber. People
in fhe galleries leaned forward to see
th9 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 two senators of Indian blood
wefs facing each other twenty feet
apart. They both appeared to have
lost sight Of all parliamentary rules
and were carrying on PERSONAL col
loqay.
MFR. Owen proceeded to say that" the
supreme court of the United States
had declared that Indians holding
allotted lands are citizens of the Unit
cd States. T>> .-.f .++ .'@
Rising to his full height, his olive
colored face showing that his pride
hadt been pricked by the sugg sstion
that he was under the control Of the
secretary of the interior and with.t one
almost tragic, Mr.. Owen continued:
THE Cherokee nation can demand no
allegiance from me. I owe them no
allegiance The only allegiance [ owe
Is to the government of the Omitted
States and to the state of Oklahoma
and LII say the supreme court has pass
ed upon this matter and l sRaH in-
sist that it is right that the, word
-latg shall be included in that amend
ment.''
Mr. Curtis then took the floor. -,
-'When YOU made that statement
about the Delawares being absorbed by
the FCherokee tribe of which you are
q member you should have told how
theH were swallowed up by the Chero-
kee& he explained, pointing his index
f1ngfr at his antagonist. e,
Mfs Owen insisted that a. man be-
lonsing to an Indian tribe ls a subor-
dinatsy or ward and an alien. which
he 4aid was not compatible. with Am
ericAnt citizenship. Am H,an alien :?
he exclaimed. .,l,,.. .-~-... i
senator Carter came Co the rescu,
49, of me senate and attempted to shoy
thai both senator's were. right H
said he did not wonder that the Okla
hoYha senator resented the idea that n
:, vaStmnder the control OF, the sec7e
tar4f6f the interior. Hfs remarks re
}iedeh the tension and laughter dis
oIahea the awesome state OF min
that Ihad hitherto prevailed. ''It woul
pe well,'' suggested Senator Gore, ~fo
hes senate to recognize the belligeren
rights Of these two Indians"
Buth of the objects Of this sail
1oiied in the laughter that flied tn
shamber. ~snE a. -a4e.
Kt q o'clock the discussion wa
hrcught to a conclusion by the ur
~hnfhed business, the Aldrich currenc
-piif and Senator McCreary, of KeI
1udky, proceeded to speak on tn'
measure.
Senator Owen went over to the n
ouH1iean side and took seat by II
sidegof Senator Curtis. The two laugh
ed GOOD naturedlv and appeared to
eopntinuing the discussion.
Upon the conclusion Of Mr.. Nj
,Creary's speech, Mr.. Owen again too
The. floor and made a comprehensi,
aar&4ment with many references