The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-02-20
WILL INVESTIGATE
VALUE OF COAL LANDS
Bill Is Drawn Largely Along
Lines Recommended BY
Oklahoma Delegation

Special 70 the Daily Leader.
Washington. Feb 20.--"lll gee this
bill reported Out Of the senate com.
mittee, or know the reason Why is
he optimistic statement Of senator
RobeFt L. owen, chairman Of the sub
committee appomtod to draft and re.
port an indian bill for the senate com
nittec on Indian anairs. In order
10 do this Senator owen gave up bis
"trip TO indianapolis, where he waS
billed TO make q speech on laNl.
commission plan
The subcommittee Is getting on Wen
Nlih lts work ana has practically CON.
pleted D DRAFT, OF The new nye tribes
bill This Is along the lines Of tie
first bin evolved by the democratic
members Of ihe oklahoma delegation
and The department OF interior, with
seYeral ameilimenis asked by senator
urtis Of Kansas.
There have been some inlernsilpg
developments IN the hearings before
lhis subcommittee mr. ig N, Wright,
> delegate from the ChDrtaw council,
opposing lhe sale OF the coal lands
Il this time. and Is also opposing the
clause which invalIdaies any contracts
made With attorneys for Che sale ~
properties Of the ChoctaS ANA Chick
ssaws as tribes.
The new Bin as drafted Il much
mere simple than the old 0na but col
tains practically all of the provisions
yielding 70 certain demands from Sna
alor Curtis and others there has BEEN
incorporated Into the bill a nroviHo
Tor a commission. appointed by tEe
President. - Investigate and determine
rs nearly as possible, The value OF no
oal lands. and to recommend q pln
II sale, II they So doslre n als0 he
M alternative provision that tile gov
efnment may purchase lhe coal lands
he Il SO desirea, but 10 ease The gov
ernmenl does not Sec III % do Ha
then lts failure to act shall not ln.
validate ihe other plan for selune
huse lan3s.
Another very important Item Is thnl
the allo'ments Of the Creeks shall be
equallzed as far as possible With The
three million dollars already to thcig
credit and this shall be done moi lat
ef than December "a Of this yean
eenator Curtis he's incorporated q
provision that IN ehso decisions Of the
supreme eour admit other lndlane la
The rolls who are not now on. this
secretary Of The interior shlll alnl
such Indians within ninety days afipl
The decision Of the court, This Ii
40 hasten the final allotment Of ianiE
The report Of the subcommittee Oh
this bill win probably be accepted
by the full committee without much
debate except ON the coal land prom
osition Il has been whispered that
The secretary of interior purpuaaly ~
sisted upon q complicated plan IoI
selling these lands for the pufp0uf
Of getting The bill into tangle which
would prevent lts pAe4sge IN ordcl
10 nbylate this the subcommittee bai
reduced the Idea OF the department
10 simple and concise statement
ana this gives Il better chance
Senator Clapp who is chairman OF
the Senate lndi1n anairs committee
Indicated today that the oommIitee
Is depending entirely upon The alb
committee 20 handle the bill. and
also expressed The opinion that the
bIll wouli have 10 be mighty well has.
died II II is put through within the
few remaining days Of the session
ThH hll win unaonpteaiy be largely
along The original lines recommended
10y the Democrats OF Oklahoma dele
cation. though Il has some phpses
that were put ii 10 accord with lht
Wishes Of Senator Curtis and other
Republicans.