Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 April 1885 — THE CATTLE KINGS MUST GO [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE CATTLE KINGS MUST GO

Capt. Couch Has a Long Interview With Secretary of the Into- 1 rior Lamar.. He Is Told that Ail Unlawful Intruders In Oklahoma Will Be > Ejected. Capt. Conch, with his counsel, Sidney Clarke, visited Washington last week, and had an interview with Secretary Lamar. The substance of the interview was as follows: Capt Conch gave a history of the Oklahoma question, and the view which he and the Western people generally take of it The Secretary took the view that; the clause in the treaty Setting this land aside for freedmen and friendly Indians created a trust which made it incumbent upon the Government to preserve it in that, status until such time as Congress, m gfit make another disposition of it This poult was discussed at length. The decisions of the coarts for and against this position were quoted. Capt. Conch and Mr.

Clarke, understand from what Lamar said on this point that the position of the administration is that it is not subject to immediate settlement under the land laws. The question of the occupancy of Oklahoma by the cattlemen was then raised. Capt. Conch informed the Secretary of the Ideation of the ranches, the amount of land occupied, and the names of the persons occupying jt He also told Mr. Lamar that the cattlemen Wire allowed to pass b.v*the military on a pass from any of the cattle kings, and that anybody connected with the cattle companies was allowed to pass in and out of the Territory without question. Capt. Couch said that the settlers thought that if they were to be excluded because the administration took the view that these /lands were not open to settlenfent, it was right and just that the cattlemen. who are not only upbn the Oklahoma lands, hat are occupying the surrounding Indian country under illegal leases, should also be ejected. Mr. Lamar replied that they would be ejected; that all the cattle syndicates would be ejected. He said: “I agree with you on that, gentlemen. ” He also affirmed that his feelings were all with the settlers, but that en this one point of law as to the lands being open to settlement now he did not agree with them. As to the question of the appointment of a commission to negotiate with the Indians, the Secretary said that the administration wonld take early action upon it, He said, “Gentlemen, you may consider the administration a little slow, but we intend to meet all these questions, and I think we shall meet them in a way which will he generally satisfactory to your people.”

CAPT. W. L. COUCH.