The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-06-08
OKLAHOMA IN CONGRESS
ACCOMPLISHMENT REVIEWED
CONTINUED from page 49,

was directed to turn over to the
/ trpasurers Of Lawton. Hobart, Ana
d'rko the uncxpcuded balance OF the
/ proceeds arising from the sale OF
+ town lots in these cities heretofore
appropriated and set apart for public
/ improvements The last four items
were obtained by the cIeyerness of
Senator Gore based upon favorable
/ reports from the committees
4 But the greatest services which the
Oklahoma congressional delegation
has rendered beyond all comparison
Is the removal Of restriction bill
u is almost impossible to describe
'hH labor and effort made i'm con.
uectlon with this BILL There we're
numbcrless interviews between the
delegation or the members Of the dele.
cation and the president. the on
c.als OF the interior department and
with members OF The Indian commit.
tees Of the house and senate. The
/ right Of eminent domain Is also
made to apply to all allotted or re-
strlcted lands
The Oklahoma probate court Is
given complete control over minors.
Indians can lease their lands for
/ five years without the consent OF
| the secretary as 10 all lands except
the homestead which shall not be
leased for a longer period than one
year without the consent Of the sec
rotary Of interior.
The law endeavors TO protect ev.
cry Indian against any cloud upon
his title by a deed, mortgage or con.
tract made previous to the actual
removal OF restrictions.
The president has committed him.
self 70 a pilicy that all lands except
q 30 acre homestead should be sub.
ject TO taxation and no hostilitles
viii be aroused between the Indian
. people and the white people on the
score of unjust and unequal taxa
tion.
If the white tenants had to pay
all the taxes and the Indian land.
lord held all the land and paid no
taxes it would result very injurious
ly to the Indian people as every
body knows who has any knowledge
OF human nature.
Making these lands taxable will be
of great value to the Indians by Civ
Ing them better class Of tenantry
and by compelling the def~op-
ment Of the land.
An item OF great importance to
Oklahoma in the removal OF restric.
tion bill is an item which Senator
owen introduced providing that any
suit brought by the secretary Of the
Interior against the vondee or mort
gage of a town lot shall be dismissed
where no fraud has been established
against such person by paying the full
balance due on the original appralse-
ment Of such lot and the fraud must
be established within six months
from date. This viii relieve great
many innocent holders and will set.
tie titles in Muskogee, Tulsa and
other places. The value Of this item
will be very great in promoting the
development OF these towns.
One of the great services render
ed by the Oklahoma delegation is
the complete change of tone of the
Interior department in dealing with
Oklahoma. The suits which are to
be brought In Oklahoma under the
restriction bill about 5000 in number
are not to be brought in a spirit
. of pestiferous Interference nor with
a view OF clouding and confusing
titles and making amends TO Okla
homa for the errors Of the past, Sec
retary Garfield is responsible for their
good feeling and spirit which has
been characteristic of the interior
department ever since he took hold
Mineral royalties after July 1, 1905
will 20 to the individual allottee in
the Seminole country.
An allotment records Will be final.
. ly deposited at the union agency in
Mnskogee About $4,000 Is appropri-
ated to enable the secretary of the
interior TO furnish various counties
Iof Oklahoma certified copies OF such
portions of the records as affect
title TO lands in the re, pectlye coun-
ties
Another item was necessary to en-
able patents TO be given to town
lots In the segregated area.