Volume 17 , Issue 35

The Cherokee Strip Bill (1893)

Looking back through our Oklahoma & Indian Territory history beginnings and how the territories were opened up to settlement we find the scheming white men in Congress meandering like a river, adding amendments to the Indian Bill. How would it come in as a rider to the Indian Bill.

Found on Newspapers.com

According to "The Muskogee Phoenix," out of Muskogee, Oklahoma, dated 2 March 1893, Thursday, we found this headline: "The Strip Bill." How it would come in as a rider to the Indian Bill. And important amendment agreed to.Scheming white men to be headed off - the strip to be opened within sixty days after passage. Washington, March 1 (1893) -- The senate committee on Indian affairs held a meeting the day before (last day of February, 1893) to consider amendments offered to the Indian appropriation bill and amendments of this kind poured in almost without limit. So far they were twenty-three in number, and in dredge of importance showed the Cherokee strip bill for a maximum and some insignificant private claim in the state of Washington for a minimum.

The general bill was looked upon as the only available vehicle to be found to carry measures of this kind through. In addition to those on hand, it was safe to say that the number amendments would be doubled. This would give an idea of the importance of the omnibus feature of the general bill. There were now more amendments offered and more efforts being made to hitch something on to the general bill than was ever evinced before at the close of a congress. Of the various amendments offered to the general bill and which were referred to the senate committee, only one was taken up. This concerned the opening of the Cherokee strip. There were a number of amendments relating to this subject, but the most prominent were those introduced by Perkins and Platt. Some other unimportant amendments on the same matter were presented by Senators Morgan, Butler and Puffer. The committee considered at length the Perkins and Dawes amendments and agreed upon an amendment which was made up of parts of both. The amendment agreed upon, owing to the feature requiring an appropriation, was sent to the committee on appropriations, where it would likely be passed upon that day.

The indications were that the senate would commence work on the general Indian appropriation bill Thursday, and the committee on appropriations had promised to have the Cherokee strip amendment out to be attached by the time the senate was ready to consider it.

The amendment agreed upon by the Indian committee provided that all the money by way of remuneration for the strip be paid at once. In this respect the committee adhered to the plan of the Platt amendment rather that that offered by Perkins. It was thought the committee on appropriations would hesitate to some extent in permitting this feature to get through without change, but would not insist upon a change unless the Cockerel element of the committee predominated. He was known to be pronounced in his opposition to making an appropriation to open the strip to settlement.

The following was taken from he amendment as agreed upon:

"The acceptance by the Cherokee Nation of Indians of the money appropriated as herein set forth shall be considered and taken, and shall operate as a ratification by said Cherokee Nation of Indians of said agreement, as it is hereby proposed to by amended and as a full and complete relinquishment and extinguishment of all their title, claim and interest in and to said lands but such relinquishment and extinguishment shall not inure to the benefit of any railroad company, nor vest in any railroad company any right, title or interest in or to any of said lands, but said lands, except the portion tone allotted as provided in said agreement, shall, upon the payment of the money herring appropriated, or upon the offer by the United States to pay the same, according to the terms of said appropriation and the refusal upon the part of the Cherokee Nation to accept the same, become and be taken to be and be treated as a part of the public domain."

This provision was according to the views of Senator Platt, who had always maintained that the strip should be thrown open to settlement, whether congress in its legislation conformed to the original treaty or not, and whether the Cherokees were inclined to approve the bill finally passed. The senator was determined that if the bill gets through congress at all it shall contain a provision of this sort, as he was inclined to look upon the headstrong element of the so-called Cherokee Nation as composed of white men instead of Indians.

This part of the amendment was the most striking feature. It would at once arouse opposition and at the same time be responded to with liberal approval from the settlers who do not want to be placed at the mercy of some scheming white men who had a potent influence in the Cherokee council. A number of messages from he boomers had urged Platt to insist upon an amendment of this sort, in compliance with views expressed i this line, as published.

Section 13 in each township was reserved for the benefit of the university at Norman, the normal school at Edmond and the agricultural college at Stillwater, and section 19 for the benefit of the charitable reformatory and penal institutions. The intruders were to be paid out of the purchase price for the strip.

The president was authorized to open to settlement the strip within sixty days, and could establish one or more land offices in or outside the strip, and counties to contain 300 square miles, and the secretary of the interior was permitted to add some of the strip to the northwestern counties of the present Oklahoma.

The Tonkawa and Pawnee reservations were also included in the amendment. The friends of the strip bill had a very delicate task to perform in getting the various interests adjusted.
  |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---