Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-23

SECRETARY Hitchcock refused to renew
II and the parties Interested went 10
congress. and there was renewal Oh
some $4,000 acres, largely IN the
eastern part leaving the western part
Unbiased. The allotment act was also
passed in 1905, the year or the re
newal for ten years In the stress Oh
allotment. and with the assurance
that the tribal rights would DC GER
tainly extended by congress, the larger
part OF tte Usage reservation mas no.
been leased again, since expiration oi
the original Foster lease. After tne
passage OF the allotment act, the rules
and regulations OF the interior depart
ment. under which the unleased poI-
ton could be leased, were not promu,;
gated until 1912. and then smaii
portion was leased, resulting IN the
discovery OF the pool In section ..
near Hominy Six years, therefore, OF
the period passed without any SUD
stantial leasing of the larger part OF
the reservation. Then came the con-
troversy over the renewal OF the
remnant OF the old Foster lease, In
1916. which was disposed OF by the
department. but no leasings were 60
ing on under the regulations or l9lz.
The time, therefore. OF the depart
ment and the council, since 1917, mas
been devoted largely to the disposl-
ton OF the territory covered by the
renewal Foster leases, and some leas-
ing OF property near developed ter
ritory under the lesses heretofore
existing. Therefore, the larger part
OF the Usage reservation has never
yet really been tested, large part is
now not under lease. and practically
twelve years of the period originally
provided for realizing on these tribal
rights has expired.
SO, on n large part of the reserva-
tion, half or more, six years were al
lowed to pass without leasings, In the
earlier part OF the period and practi-
cally twelve years on the western part.
On account of circumstances, this has
been lost to the Indians. who could
have participated. IL the lands had
been leased. During all this time,
however. and now, as l understand
the secretary of the interior has been
In favor of the extension, and the
Osages have had assurances that the
oil. gas and mineral would be con-
served, and they would be protected
by an extension. II will, therefore,
be an absolute fraud upon them to
now refuse an extension, since so much
of the period OF time has been idle,
and so much OF the land Involved has
likewise been idle, during the period,
in the beginning.
Also, there must inevitably be a
long period at the close, unless an
extension be provided sometime be-
fore that time. in which prospective
operators will not bid and take leases.
As a matter of fact one of the great
disadvantages OF these leases has
been that there was possibility of
their ending at n dime certain. while
the usual oil and gas leases continue
as long as they are produced. Now,
within several years before the close
of the lease, II the period must end
in 1881, no one will bid and take a
lease on account OF the short time to
run. with all the inherent dangerous
and expensive risks involved. The
usual lease allows the lessee a period
of five years in which to pay rentals
and preserve his rights without ac-
tual operations. and sometimes 1t is
longer. We can safely count, there
fore, that for period of five years
before the expiration OF the period
the Indians and the government will
be unable to effectuate any leases
and probably sometime before thai
they will be unable to get any bonnse.
of any consequence. as they can now
obtain, and will be able to better OBJ.
tain II there be an extension in the
near future. Therefore, we can safely