The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-03-24
PERMITS CONSTRUCTION
OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS
AutfOriSeS Purchase of Un.
allotted Lands Belonging
to Five Tribes
Special to Daily Leader.

Special To Daily Leader
Washington, March PA bill
which has been drawn with view of
making possible the purchase OF In.
dian lands by the school districts f
East Oklahoma for school purposes
has been introduced in congress by
Representative Scott Ferris. of OKLA.
homa, whose attention has been called
TO the fact that under existing law
there is no possible way TO acquire
land for that purpose I'm the Five civ
ilized Tribes The Oklahoma school
authorities are anxious TO beeih the
construction of schools in Oklahoma
during the summer, but have come
face TO face with a proposition which
they find requires congressional action
before they can begin operations. II
was at first thought that the depart
ment could be made to act under the
acts of 1902 and 1906 dealing with
freedmen's lands ana which authorized
the secretary Of interior to sell lands
of that character under certain con-
ditions. Lawyers who have examined
into those statutes however. are now
satisfied that they cannot be stretched
so as To include Indian land from
which the restrictions have not vet
been removed As a result Secretary
Garfield has taken a hand IN the mat
ter lie also looked up She authorities
on the subject and found that lte could
not authorize the sale of Indian lands
70 the respective school districts of
East Oklahoma without additional
legislation
The matter was thoroughly dis
cussed by Scott Ferris and Secretary
Garfield and resulted ia the interio.
department drawing up a bill which
it is believed will relieve the situation
and make possible the immediate pur-
chase OF the lands and construction of
tLe school buildings now under con.
temptation. The bill as introduced
will permit the secretary to sell not
more than two acres to each school
district for educational purposes and
at prices and regulations prescribed
by him.
The bin is herewith gi,eH in full as
follows.
The secretary of interior is hereby
authorized to sell for use for school
purposes to school districts OF the
state of Oklahoma from the unallotted
lands of the Five Civilized Tribes at
prices and under regulations to be
prescribed by him and proper convey
ance OF such lands shall be executed
in accordance with existing laws re-
garding the conveyance of tribal
property and the secretary of interior
Eh a
the restrictions on the sale OF such
lands not 20 exceed two acres IN each
case as allottees Of the Five Civilized
Tribes including fun bloods and min
ors may desire to sell for school pur-
poses
The measure was at once referred
TO the committee ON Indian affairs
where it viii probably be faYorably re-
ported at an early date
MeAlester and Ardmore and Mus
kogee and Ninita IL is said, are hav-
ing a merry row over the right 20 be
designated as official and federal jail
towns. II il "A well known fact that
the department OF Justice is seriously
thinking OF consolidating the iails at
two OF the cities hence the rivalry be-
tween the towns Ardmoce Is fight
ing McAlester for the honor. while
Muskogee thinks IT. should be favored
over Ninita. Both congressman Day-
export and Carter are taking a lively
interest in the scrape but are not
talking much above a whisper on the
subject for publications because Il
would place them in the light Of fav-
.orinS one town 10 the detriraent of the
other
IN Will be remembered that Senator
Gore recently introduced a bill ia the
senate donating the MeAlester federal
JAIN TO Pittsburg county Nothing ey-
Ter became Of the bill II Is still rest
ing snugly In the. committee room 10
which n was referred by the Presl-
dent of the senate when introduced.
" this bin had become a law il would
have been decidedly 10 the advantage
0i Ardm0re BECAUSE Ardmore would