The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-02-14
PROTEST ON LAND SUITS
FIRST GUN FIRED BY CONGRESS.
MAN CARTER KNOCKS PROPS
FROM DEPARTMENT REPORT.

Washington. Feb 13.-Thc first
gun I'm the fight for the suspension Of
the Oklahoma suit evil was rred
/ by c. u. Carter. who appeared be-
/ fore the house committee on appro-
/ priations 10 which the item was re-.
/ ferrcd aud made vigorous protest
against the action OF the interior de-
partmeut and the department Of jus
ticc for the Wholesale manner i'm
which suits have been brought in the
eastern iuiicial district of Oklahoma.
Attorney General Bonapartc appear
ed for his department. stating that
only few hundred suits had been
brought. and to this Carter demurr.
ed, stating that official reports dis
closed the fact that more than TWEEN
ty thousand were pending prior to
the converting OF congress. and news
paper dispatches said ten thousand
additional suits had been instituted
The statements made By the attor.
ney general were universally contra.
dictory.
no member of the Oklahoma del.
egation," declared Mr.. Carter. would
for one moment. even wink at fraud
perpetrated on the helpless ncompe.
tent Indian. and do not appear
for the purpose of dscouraging suits
of real merit, but the difficulty is
that suits have been brought to can
eel deeds given by men of no less
ability and standing than Unite:
lawyers simply because they have
a strain of Indian blood in their
veins. and worse still. some very
distinguished citizens of our state
without one drop Of Indian blood
have, under this system become in
competent and had suits brought
for them over their protest simply
because they chose for their life
mates, ladies' who could trace the In.
fintesimal amount of something like
one 25Gth part Indian blood.
The bringing of these suits has
driven capital out Of our state, com
pletely tied mp the progress and de
velCpment OF our state. has discour-
aged legitimate investment In land
buying and left the Indian who de.
sires to sell his land at the mercy
of the few grafters who buy his
/ land for less than it's actual value
When It developed in the state
ment Of the attorney general that
the department has on hand now an
uneXpended balance of over $4,000
from the appropriation of last year,
Carter requested that not only no
further appropriation be allowed, but
that a limit be placed on the eX-
pendImre of the balance, requiring
that all suits be dismissed except
such as would show fraud or a gross
lHdueQudle CONSIDERATION, ana lUal
each case be given speedy trial
at the federal court town nearest the
location of the land
Letters setting forth the disastrous
results causoh by these suits were
filed as "A part Of the argument of
the congressman. Among them
strong letters from full blood Choc.
taws, w. p. Poland of Ardmore, and
Hon. Lee Cruce, banker ana leading
citizen Of the same place.
Congressman Davenport aud W. W,
Hastings, attorney for the Cherokees,
were present during most Of the
hearing No expression was given |
10y Chairman Tawney as to what
would be the action of the commit.
tee but It is thought the fight will |
have to be carried to the floor of /
the house. All the democrats on the
Oklahoma delegation are on the alert /
and when the time comes for ac-
lion viii welcome the scrap.