The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-07-09

ed States court against the titles of
certain lands in Oklahoma has had
more or less demoHlizing effect all
over the state, cannot be contradict
ed But the cases referred to do not
affect the titles to all the land in the
state. as some unfamiliar with condi-
tions are wont to believe or make
others believe. As regards the Ard
more country these suits are mere
bugbears- nothing more nor nothing
less. But the fact remains that these
suits. wherever they apply, tend to
irighien the homeseeker and invest
or from the state-nOt only the por-
tons of the state where the land
titles are in question, but all parts of
the state. But the peop'e are begin
ming to learn the facts i'm the prem
ises and are investing in lands where
the titles are not Involved. This is
particululy true OF the Ardmore
country and farmers and others are
now buying up lands here, some to
follow the pursuit of agriculture and
others who intend holding them as
investments.
SO in this connection a brief re
view of the land title cases will be
interesting to those who may intend
coming here with a view to making
investments.
In the Indian Territory part of the
new state of Oklahoma there are
about nineteen million acres Of land,
occupied by five tribes of Indians far
advanced in civilization and the Gus
toms and ways of white men and
denomirated the Five Civilized
Tribes of Indians. OF these approXi-
mately 101 900 are on the govern
ment rolls This number is largely
composed of five classes-the first
being the Indian by blood, the sec
ond the intermarried citizen, the
adopted citizen, the freedmen and
the Mississippi Choctaws. These, un-
der certain provisions of the treaty
of Dancing Rabbit Creek of 1882,
had a right to come here and select
lands. which they did
When these lands were first allot.
ted. commencing in 1899 in the Creek
Nation, and in 1903 in the Choctaw
and Chckasaw Nations, congress saw
fit to impose certain restrictions up
on alienation by all classes of Indian
citizens. However, as it slowly de
veloped that certain classes of Indian
citizens We're possessed OF sufficient
intelligence to Justify the manage
ment of their own affair, congress
gradually removed the restrictions up
on the alienation and conferred upon
the Secretary OF the Interior the
right to remove in other instances,
where a close personal inspection
showed that the individual applicant
llltl lltu lIle ItulbN Al VI ltoNl " Nlbll0' J
The restrictions of the intermar
red ctilon were the first removed |
Following these the mixed breed |
and finally the full blood. where in
individual classes, were deemed COM
petent, the Secretary of the Interior [,
was given the power TO issue a GER !
tificate removing the restrictions. |
However. acts of congress and treat !
les made with the government by the |
Five Civilized Tribes. varying from |
one to five years from the date OF |
the patent, the individual fullblood |
allottee was authorized by the acts |
of congress 10 sell all or a portion !
of his allotment However. by the !
act Of congress, April 26, 1906, in |
the amendment introduced by Sena-
tor McCumber, imposed restrictions
hibited the sale Of any portion of
their alotments without the consent !
Of the Secretary of the Interior until |
after a lapse of twenty-five years. \
of full-blood Cherokee In
iians. upon the passage of that acJ
appealed to congress, claiming that
hat tribunal had no right or author
ty to impose additional restrictions
lpon the fullblood Indians wihout
heir consent, and se5 forth that the
indians in this case had not con.
;ented Following, by the act OF
March ,, 1907. in order to test the
-alidiy Of these acts imposing re-
;trictions upon the ful.blood the
Of test suits against the gov
was authorized in the court
If claims, with right OF appeal to the ,
supreme court of the United States.
II face of the fact that this act en- ,
,racing the NcCumber amendment {
declaring that he could not sell his (
and for twenty-five years without ,