The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-04-28
WRITES NEW
SECRETA
Of INTERIOR
RepIesenlallye Carrier Depicts
Anomalous Conditions In
Chick chOc hslIOnS
Special to Daily i.eader

Washington April Charging
THAI the government has failed to
keep its pledge with the people OF
Oklahoma aui that the rights OF the
Choctaw and Chlckasaw Indians So
q far as the sale OF the segregated
coal and asphalt lands are concern.
ea have been grinding beneath the
upper ana neither min stones Of con-
seryation and Instrumentation, Rep.
lesentative Charles n Carter 0f the
Ardm0re district In q strong letter to
the newly appointed secretary OF the
interior, Walter l.. Fisher, makes
pain his views of the situation and
asks that definite program be out
Hned BIZ the interior department f0r
the emancipation Of his constituency
ag the earliest practical date,
We have, III my district says Mr..
Carter In bis letter. an estate valued
at from twenty To one hundred mil.
bon dollars belonging to the Choctaw
and Chickasaw tribes az Indians,
practically an Of which property is
aeid jointly, each individual sharing
equally ia the same,
by the act of June 2S, 1898 gener-
ally known us the Atoka agreement
and the subsequent act Of July 2,
1902, better known as the Supple.
mental Agreement. q coyement enter
ed into between the federal govern.
ment and the Choctaw and Chicka
saw Indians. a disposition of all this
property and per capita distribution
af its proceeds within the limit ol
e ght years from June rs, 1908 were
pledged to those Indians
For some unknown reasons says
SIR Carter. what is known as the Sc
giegated mineral land was withdrawn
from the sale BY the provisions of this
act approved April 2G, 1906. This Sc
gregated mineral area which IS By
fan the most important of amy Of tbs
holdings OF the Five Civilized Tribes
consists OF about 100000 acres q
land underlaid with coal and asphalt
the most OF which lies in the north
ern part of the Choctaw nation is
coal bearing, and cannot be disposed
/ IL on account Of the afore.mentioneC
act OF April 26. 1906
] WHAT Tie ltIlEdUS GOltCHQ
srhe very just contention OF tht
Choctaw ana Chickasaw Indians i
that the federal government did no
Keep its pledges as to final settle
lment in eight years when by the Cur
tbs act ii withdrew this land iron
sale and those Indians who hay
since become citizens of the IFnitei
States and are making god as such
think that the federal government
should lose no time in reetifying thi
last neglect Of their rights
"The sale Of these segregated Goa
and asphalt lands now seems to bav
been caught in the vortex OF reform
| The rights Of our people seem to b
| grinding beneath the upper an
neither mill stones Of conservation
and anti.conservationist. The eonsei
Yationists ! assume would be perfect
\ ly content TO have these coal land
purchased and administered by th
federal government, but viii no
agree that they be placed on the MAJ
bet where the highest bidder woul
get the goods possibly permitting
the title to such lands fall within tn
ownership OF corporations and trusts
The anticouseryationlsts seem I
think that the federal governmen
should have nothing to do with thes
lands except keep good faith with th
indians and dispose OF same TO tn
highest bidder regardless ol the "of
sequences of such sale.
The Choctaws and Ghickasaws VII
not be oaptious as 10 the mode g
settlement provided Either Of th
J above methods or a compromise bt
4een the two which will prQtec
sheir rights, would, in my opinion
prove perfectly satisfactory. Wha
they desire is that the federal goN
ernment keep lis pledge In some wa
or other: that the land bed ispose'
uf In some manner and that they q
permitted to have the use OF th
funds for the improvement of thel
! lands and country and for other pun
poses
viewing the situation" continue
! Mr. Garter, not only from sent
mental but b practical standpoint, thi
execution OF those pledges inyolylul
The sale 0g the segregated minera
| land Is not SO much question q th'
conservation OF our national resourc
eg as il is q question of the cousef
yation of the honor, integrity on'
good faith Of the federal government
with it's helpless wards"
In the opinion OF Mr- Carter no
only the Indians but the entire citi
zenship OF the state is profoundly ana
actively interested In m early dispc
sition OF the coal and asphalt lands.
| Continuing Mir Carter Ia bis lette
| SAYS Along the segregated minera
land have sprung un thriving cities
towns and villages the present am
future growth Of which is almos
! completely obstweted and stagnate
FOR the reason that neither title no
lease can be obtained 20 a single acr
ot the land In the vicinity Of aud oul
side OF the limits of tie towns.
Another matter OF utmost tmp0i
tance to our people says Mr. Carter
is the question Of tribal rolls concern
ing which some small diserepancie
| exist. some few bona iide citizen
have been LEFT OF Tie rolls by mis-
take. These matter in the estims
tion Of Mr Carter must be adiaste
but tie recommends great care 70
fear OF an even greater evil be con
lnitted than that which now exists
ia conclusion, iii. Caltei SAYS.
realize, that such legislation as thl
may not be considered under th
Ipresent program Of the majority .