The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-17


work OF the Oklahoma congresslona!
delegation is concerned.
Il is true that the delegation failed
10 procure legislation winding up the
affairs OF the five civilized tribes.
but this was due to circumstance
wholly without their power The ad-
Ininistration from President Tar
down vigorously opposei the settle
1nenr OF tribal affairs. and the reas-
on was plain. Conservation Of natu-
raj resources is Interpreted 20 mean
different things in the different
camps of the republican party
hence the great difficulty e1perienc-
ed BY the Oklahoma congressional
delegation 10 get the administra-
tion committed TO a business pol
icy with respect 10 the affairs Of
the five civilized tribes OF Oklahoma.
Certain il is no delegation eve
worked harder to overcome the hos
tile influences than did the Oklaho-
ma congressional delegation in this
fight
With the exception Of Represent
atlye Mcclure there was unanimity
OF action throughout. He consistent
" opposed the settlement OF tribal
affairs as long as the question OF
Indian citizenship remained unset
tied.
II the Oklahoma congressional del
egation failed TO bring about a salts
factory settlement OF the Indian es-
tate. it succeeded on the other hand
in keeping the tribal rolls intact.
This was great victory for Rep
resentatlye Carter, as the safety
and stability of business conditions
IN eastern Oklahoma are dependent
upon the honest administration OF
Indian affairs.
Representative Mcclure proposed
TO open the way for 10000 or more
Choctaw and Chckasaw freedmen 70
get on the rolls as Indians by blood
He hal opposed to him every mem
ber OF the congressional delegation
including his two republican col
leagues, Messrs. Morgan and Grea
ger. Fortunately he failed in the at.
tempt. but six weeks of valuable
time which could have been used
in framing a bill to wind up the af-
fairs OF the five civilized tribes was
lost.
There are some who see a double
meaning In the citizenship fight as
conducted by Representative Nc
CURE in the Indian affairs commit
tee. These say that the Mcclure
bill was used as a buffer to keep
the committee from considering the
Creager bill which provided for the
settlement OF tribal affairs in east
ern Oklahoma At any rate 1t Is now
clear that peculiar affinity exists
between the McMurray contracts and
the Mcclure enrolment bill. Mr.. Nc
Murray it is said does not favor
legislation winding up tribal affairs
until his contracts have been ap-
proved y
Can it be that the McAlester man
a.d his friends used the Mcclure
enrolment bill as a means Of post
ponng the inevitable winding up Of
the affairs of the Choctaws and
Chickasaws? There is good reason
to believe that they did.
Senator owen recently discussing
failure Of the delegation to bring
tribal affairs on the east side to a
head, said:
"The obstruction has been the
extreme inertia Of the government
bureau comfortably domiciled In Ok
lahoma and the action OF Mr. b.
5. Mcguire who appears to have lob
bied Charles Carter out Of the In
dian committee ani then used his
position as a member Of that com
mittee representing Oklahoma TO en-
gage the committee for six weeks in
a question of reopening the Choctaw
and Chickasaw rolls instead Of lass-
ing the bin agreed TO by the Okla
homa delegation for the closing Of
the tribal business.
This policy meant opposition to
the distribution of the Choctaw and
Chickasaw property until the rolls
were settled according TO his wishes.
With a leading republican member
o. the Oklahoma congressional del
egation opposing; with Carter put
OF the Indian committee. no bill was
reported that could pass
1t is true that Mr MeGuire pu,
short amendment on the Iadian
omnibus bill to dispose Of the sur
face Of the segregated coal and as