Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-08-13
FISHER CAUSED
PRESIDENT 'SVETO
CAUSED VETO OF BILL TO LEG
ALIZE INHERITED LAND
TITLES.
WOULD LECALIZE FRAUDS
Secretary Claimed Many Fraudulent
Titles Would BE Included in
The Blll.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.-(Speciall
ON August 6 President Taft vetoed
the bill which had been passed by
| congress to remove all necessity foI
securing the approval of the Secre'
tary Of the Interior to conveyances OF
inherited allotments Of full-bloOd In
dian heirs, members of the Five civil
lized Tribes, made subsequent TO May
q, 1908, In cases Of allottees who had
died prior to that date, and providing
that such conveyances may be declar-
ed valid II approved hy the county
court Of the county where the deceas-
ed allottee was a resident at the time
of his death. This action was recon-
mended by Secretary Fisher of the IN
terror department, who objected to
the bill on the ground that many
fraudulent transactions would be leg
allied by its passage, that there was
no reason for opposition to the exist
ing law requiring the approval Of the
Interior Department in such cases,
except by those who seek to avoid the
payment Of an adequate consideration
for the lands received, as the Depart
ment Is now approving deeds executed
by full blood Indians conveying lands
of deceased allottees Of the Five CIV
ilized Tribes who died prior to May
27, 1908, whenever i appears that the
transaction has been made in good
faith and for an adequate consider
alton. The secretary also stated that
there are many cases now pending
before the department for approval
which would be validated without ap-
proVal by the Secretary of the Inter
ior If congress should pass this act,
among which are many where CON
veyances have been sanctioned by the
local Oklahoma courts, but where the
price paid to the Indians has been so
inadequate that the department has
insisted upon a reapprals sal, and the
white claimants are now offering to
nav substantial amounts in addition
to those which they have already
paid. These are being disposed of by
the department as rapidly as they
can be properly considered. With re-
gard to the provision transferring the
approval of such cOnVeyances TO the
county court OF the county where the
deceased allottee was resident at
the time of his death, the secretary
stated that many Indians who would
he affected by this legislation have re
moved permanently from Oklahoma
and the result of this proviso would
he to transfer all questions relating
to the approval OF conveyances in
such cases by the heirs OF the deceas-
ed allottees to courts lar removed
from the land itself and unfamiliar
with its value and the conditions un-
der which conveyances OF this char-
scter are made. But the proylso has
a much more serious effect than that
as conveyances already approved,
possibly at a time when the court
assumed that the matter would be
passed on by the inter ior department,
would, nevertheless, be valid. More
over. previous approyals Of the Ok
lahoma courts have been given in
MANY cases where the conditions sub
sequently discovered by the state
Board of Charities and Corrections of
Oklahoma, and described In a letter
from that board, TO which reference
is made. shows clearly the appalling |
extent to which indian heirs In OK |
have been lmposee upon