The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-12-13
TO SETTLE FIGHT
ON SECRtGAT TtOLANOS
STATE DELEGATION IN CON-
GRESS TAKE UP MAT ER-OIS'
REGARD OPPOSING ELEMENT.

Washington, d. c., Dee. l2.-Inor'
oughly aroused by wnat II terms em'
barrassment by the stand OF the
Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians and
their attorneys, who oppose the sale
OF the surface of the Indian coal
ana asphalt lands, the Oklahoma del
egation in congress has decided to
take matters in its own hands ana
settle the matter, by urging vigor'
ously the passage of the bill now
before congress providing for the
sale of the surface lands alone.
The Indians, through their attor'
news. and much at the instigatlon OF
the lawyers, it is claimed, for sever
al years have been demanding the
sale Of the segregated lands. Schemes
of all sorts have been proposed and
rejected. New ones nave come up
at each session of congress, but
heretofore 1t has been impossible
to gain any action, because OF the
strong opposition in senate circles
TO the disposal of the mineral rights.
Senator LaFollette has given his
promise to the Oklahoma delegation
that he will fight and fillbuster to
the bitter end before he will allow
any measure to pass the senate pro
viding for the sale of the mineral
rights of the segregated lands.
Mr.. LaFollette declares that these
mineral rights shall remain in the
hands of the government so long as
he remains in the senate, because
theythey will be of inestimable value
during the generations to come and
should never fall into the hands of
private owners for exploitation.
Thus it is the Oklahoma deleSa
ton realizes that it is impossible to
pass a measure providing for the sale
of both the surface and coal rights,
and tired of the constant pickering
on the part of the Indian attorneys
who. knowing the situation, persist in
urging the disposal of the mineral
rights, have decided TO push the bill
now pending through congress at
the present session.
Practically 10000 acres of land
now are lying idle and uncultivated.
and the measure if passed would add
an immense farming territory to the
state of Oklahoma and add hundreds
of thousands of dollars to her rev.
enue. BY developing even half of
the immense tract into paying farms.
the value to such towns as Coal
gate, Lehigh, McAlester, Hartshorn,
Anderson, Poteau and several others
would be the center of rich commu
mites.
The Indians desire the disposal Of
the lands, in fact anxious that they be
disposed of, but never will be able
to gain all their demands.
During the hearings before the
house committee on indian affairs
last week Representatives Carter
and Ferris let it be known to the
Indians and their attorneys, that they
were ready TO listen to the old argu-
ments which have been presented
time and again, but stated that they
did not intend 10 let these arguments
interfere with their decision to urge
the passage of the bill in its pres
ent form. The measure will receive
the support alsoof Oklahomas SEN
ators.
On next Thursda ymorning the sen
ate committee will again conduct
hearing on the matter, having post
poned its hearing last week. At the
request of Governor Locke of the
Choctaw nation, Chickasaw authori.
ties were telegraphed for and will
be present at the meeting along
with Pat Hurley, legal representative
of the Choctaws, G. w. Duke, Silas
Cole, Tom Ainsworth and Sam. Nav