The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-12

fairs ever enacted. It was the first
measure introduced by a Kansas mem
Der of either branch of congress which,
when enacted, was considered of suf-
the country, to carry its author
name.
Saved Millions to Government.
In this same congress he defeated
the claim of the Chickasaw and Choc-
taw Indians for the so-caIled leased
district which was for 7.713,239 acres
of land, at $1.25 per acre. thereby saw
ing the government over nine million
six hundred Thousand dollars This
was considered quite victory. for
congress had already raid over two
million dollars on similar claim in
the Fifty-secOnd congress. Mr.. Cur
tis was the only member of the house
who cOntended that the calm was il
legal and unjust, and it was upon his
motion the question was submitted to
the court, and Mr.. Curtis had the
pleasure of knowing that his conten-
ton was sustained by our greatest leg
al body.
In 1899 he caused an amendment to
be made to the Indian appropriation
bill which changed the Chippewa In
dian timber act (see InCian appropri-
alton act, March 1, 1899 He intro
duced bill to deal with the question
(see H. r. S494) and fo~ced addition
al legislation which has saved to the
Indians and the government nearly
fifteen million dollars. AZ the time of
the change, June %, 1902. and up to
June 80, 1910, there has been ad-
vanced to this tribe four million seven
hundred and thirty eight thousand dol
lars. This has been paid back to the
government and the Indians had to
their credit July /. 1910, the sum of
$S,573,12S.37, and their remaining
0cJ@ fc o-ff tod 70 - -
of S1,550,2S5.0O. Mr.. Curtis reported
the bill which became 4 law June %,
1902. In this act he required pro-
vision to be made for the propagation
and preservation Of the timber on the
Chippewa reservation (see house re-
port 1860.
In the F'ifty-sixth congress- he serv-
ed on ten conference committees and
made eighteen reports.
In this congress thers was an effort
made before the committee on appro-
priations of the house to abolish one
of the Kansas forts (Rney and Leaven-
Worth)- Mr.. Curtis appeared before
the subcommittee having charge of the
matter, and made such a showing that
appropriations were continued for
both forts, and they have since been
made two of the largest and most i'm
portant Notifications in the country.
Saved Pension Agency.
Since he has been in congress there
have been five attempts to abolish the
United States pension agency at To-
peka, but Mr.. Curtis has defeated
each effort, because he was able to
show that pensioners could be more
quickly and satisfactorily paid, at less
cost, from that agency, than from any
other pension agency in the United
States.
It was through his EFFORTS that the
Indian school at Lawrence was named
after the late Dudley Ha3kell, and
since he has been in congress he has
looked carefully after all needed leg
islation for Haskell, and the Kickapoo
school in Brown county. Kansas.
During this congress he was ap-
pointed as member of the committee
of eleven Republicans to originate and
perfect gold standard hill. For the
nrst time in the history cf Kansas one
OF its members was so honored. The
bill was drawn by the committee so
appointed and it is now the law of
the land.
He defeated the claim o. $1so,0Oo
presented by attorneys against the
Usage Indians. When Mr.. Curtis told
mthe committee he had examined the
claim and doubted if the OSages were |
liable, the committee agreed upon the
plan of sending it to the courts, and
the case was decided against the !
claimants. and the Usage s were thus
saved $1SO,0OO.
An effort was made to retain from |
the Wichita Indians a payment of
S1.25 per acre for the lands they ced- !
ed TO the government and which were
opened to settlers by the goyernm ent. |
MI Curtis, to whom the bill was re- |
ferred. reported in favor Of the Indians |
and the effort failed This gave that |
tribe fund, and relieved the govern |
ment from extending t. them large
gratuities each year. The sum placed |
to the credit of the Wichitas as a re- |
suit of his report, was S555,4S9.91, and |
the government gratuittes were conse- |
quently unnecessary.
Cut Creek Claim in Half.
In the Fifty y-seventh congress Mr.. |
curtis served on three conference com |
mlttees, and made fourteen reports |
from committees.
He opposed the Creek claim against !
the government which had been al |
lowed by the senate at S1.2OO.0OO, and |
as result of the fight made on this
claim by Sherman of New York, |
stephens of Texas and Mr.. Curtis, /
Lhen members of the house, it was re- |
duced 100000 and Mr. Curtis has
twice since defeated in the senate the !
cIaln Tor the additional amount.
He aided the producers of the cen
tral west in their efforts to secure |
government aid for deep water on the |
Gulf He has assisted il securing leg
lslauon for the Improvement of the |
mississippi and Missouri rivers, and ir |
securing the enactment of laws for the /
reclamation service. He has urged the |
ofhcials of the reclamation service and |
geological survey to send experts to /
western Kansas to study the underf1ow |
and storage water, and plan for sup
plying the same to that section for ir-
rigation purposes.
In fha Ev;ftx- oso-t+t- o1v,,~~os- -
served on seven conference committees
and made seventeen reports. The /
manufacturers of anti-toxin serum
greatly advanced the price Of that ar ]