The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-05-26
OWEN WOULD SETTLE
$4,000 LAND SUITS
Gore Introduces Bill to Allow Chick
asaws and Choctaws Chanss AL
lOtmeRts Other News ion
the National Capital
CsY OLIVER {. kuHN.)

Washington, May ga bitter fight
is now waging in the senate Indian
affairs committee where open hear.
ings are being conducted on the gen
eral Indian appropriation bin, over
Senator Cores amendment striking
at the socalled McMurray contracts
with the Indians OF the Five Civilized
tribes. McMurray himself Is mar
shaling bis forces against the proYis-
ion, it is said, would defeat his col.
lection Of more than $S.OOOOOO for
winding up the affairs of tribes, some
thing the government is already treaty
bound to do.
It now is generally conceded In
Washington that the filibuster on the
Indian appropriation bill at the last
session Of congress was conducted
against the amendment striking at the
McMurray contracts and not against
the removal OF the Apache Indians
from Fort Sill to Mescalero as at first
thought. This belief is borne out by
letter which McMurray wrote to a
friend in Oklahoma after the bin had
failed Of passage IN which he declared
that he was proud Of the victory that
had been won.
Through his contracts It Is estimat-
ed that McMurray would collect about
100000 on the sale Of unallotted
lands in Oklahoma, although the gov
ernment has proceeded with these
sales without any assistance from him
whatever. He also would collect ten
per cent on the distribution Of about
55,O0OOOO in tribal moneys now held
by the government, it is declared.
The only object Of the amendment
to the Indian appropriation bill is to
strike at the McMurray and similar
contracts and it would not abridge or
restrict the right Of any Indian to
make contracts in reference to his al.
lotment or unrestricted property or
his private property 0 any other ex
cept undistributed tribal property.
BattIeship Oklahoma.
Work on the new battleship Okla.
homa, which will be one of the finest
ever constructed by any nation, is
progressing rapidly according to ad-
vices received by the war department.
It will be fully year before the ship
is completed, but when the finishing
touches are placed upon the vessel.
she will be one Of the most terrible
{ engines Of war afloat
Few Oklahoma Diplomats.
Members Of the Oklahoma delega-
| tion in congress have protested to ths
state department over the appoint
ment OF SO few Oklahoma residents to
the diplomatic and consular service.
It IS pointed out that other states OF
the Union have more than their
share Oklahoma should have six
members Of the diplomatic and con.
sular service but only three are now
acting for the government abroad.
To Settle Land Suits.
Senator owen has introduced an
amendment to the Indian appropria.
ton Blli providing for the early settle.
ment Of the so-called thirty thousand
land suits. 1t affects only those cases
where there is no fraud involved. A
vast section of the eastern side Of lhe
state Is practically tied up BY the
litigation
Apache Indians recently released as
prisoners Of war and transported from
the Fort Sill military reservation to
the Apache reservation at Mescalero
n. NJ. now are comfortably settled 10
their new quarters. according to ad
vices received BY the war department
in Washington. The Indians received
d hearty welcome from members q
their tribe from whom they we're $,
long separated and It is believed thai
those who decided to i0ia their west
ern brothers will continue 70 remall
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