The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-02-08
INDIAN BILL KNOCKED INTO SM|THEREENS
STARTLING STATEMENTS ON AFFAIRS

Washington, ID. c., Feb. Chars
ing that the abolishment of the tri-
bal offices, in the five civilized
tribes, as provided in the proposed
departmental bill for winding up af'
fairs in the Choctaw, Chickasaw
Creek and Cherokee nations, would
pass the title to thousands of acres
of rich segregated coal, asphalt and
grazing lands to the Missouri, Kan
sas and Texas railroad compny
George Dick Rogers of Muskogee, at
tolney for the Chickasaw nation, and
A.. p. Hill of McAlester, representing
the Choctaws, were the startling
statements made in the hearing be
fore the house committee on Indian
affairs.
The administration bill providing
for the final closing up of tribal
affairs in eastern Oklahoma develop
ed several sensations and the strong
est kind of objections to the pro.
posed bill were made by the at
torneys who represent the Indian ma
tions affected
The vrious phases of the bill were
discussed by G.. ID. Rogers, represent
ing the ChicEasaws; w. W. Hast
ings, representing the Cherokees;
E. p. Hin, representing the Choc.
taws, and Chief Moty Tiger who
through an Interpreter spoke in be-
half of the Creeks.
Hold Old Officers.
The contentious of the attorneys
was that the millions of acres of
tribal lands should first be disposed
of before the abolishment of the tr-
bal officers should be considered 1t
was pointed out that the treaty with
the Indians provides that the
title TO the lands decided to the In
dians shall remain with the Indians
as long as tribal organizations exist,
but that on the adjustment of the
tribal relations the lands shall revert
to the government.
1t was contended that in a subse-
qlent act of congress the Missouri,
Kansas and Texas railway company
was granted certain concessions,
namely: Alternate sections of land on
either side OF the rfght-of-way for
a distance of ten miles through
these same Indian lands, with the
proviso, however, that title to these
lands shall not pass to the railway
company except in the event that
the lands shall revert 20 the federal
How Katy Would Profit.
These lands include some of the
richest sections of the Indian country,
including segregated coal and asphalt
lands, and the attorneys for the In
dian tribes contend that the abolish
ment of tribal offices, as provided in
section | of the administration bill,
would, as q matter of fact, mean the
adjustment of tribal organization
within the meaning of the treaty and
of the Katy railroad grant, and that
therefore these valuable lands would
revert to the railway company.
Commissioners of the Five Civil
lied Tribes J. George Wright of
Muskogee and the interior depart
ment deny that such would be the
result, but the contention of the
attorneys has raised a line of argu-
ment that seemed to impress the
members of the Indian committee.
The Joker" in the bill, as pointed
out by the Indian attorneys, reads
as follows That the secretary of
the interior is hereby authorized
to remove from office for good and
sufficient cause, any tribal officer,
and to abolish any or all the tribal
offices of any or all of the five civ
ilized tribes in Oklahoma at such
time or times as in his judgment may
be deemed advisable
Senate Passes Bill.