Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 31.djvu/914

 862 FIFTY—SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 676. 1901. the United States shall thereu on issue his proclamation declarin the same duly ratified, and that all) the rovisions of this agreementiave Promo. become law according to the terms siereof: Provided, [hat such rati- "`wh°°t°b°m’m°d' iication by the Creek national council shall be made within ninet days from the approval of this Act by the President of the United Sltates. This agreement by and between the United States, entered into in its behalf by the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, Henry L. Dawes, Tams Bixby, Archibald S. McKennon, and Thomas B. Needles, duly appointed and authorized thereunto, and the Muskogee (or Creek) tribe of Indians, in Indian Territory, entered into in behalf df said tribe by Pleasant Porter, principal chief, and George A. Alexander, David M. Hodge, Isparhecher, A bert P. McKellop, and Cub McIntosh, delegates, duly appointed and authorized thereunto, Witnesseth that in consideration of the mutual undertakings herein contained it is agreed as follows: » DEFINITIONS. Definitions. 1. The words “Creek ” and “Muskogee," as used in this agreement shall be deemed synonymous, and the words “Creek Nation_" and "tribe” shall each be deemed to refer to the Muskogee Nation or Muskogee tribe of Indians in Indian Territory. The words " rincipal §hief" shag) be deegied to refer to the principaichlifeog the glluskogee ation. e wor s citizen or citizens s a eeme to re er to a member or members of the Muskogee tribe or nation of Indians. The words "The Dawes Commission " or " commission " shall be deemed to refer to the United States Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes. Ofqggggjl ·*“°*¤¤°¤* GENERAL ALLoTMEN·r OF LANDS. »‘·PP'¤*¤¤l· T 2. All lands belonging to the Cgeeik {gdb; of Indians  tihe I(ndiarl; erritor, except town sites an an s erein reserv or `ree schools ind public buildings, shall be aplpraised at their true value, _ .excluding on y lawful improvements on ands in actual cultivation. mfg',f"h°m *‘*’P“"S*“ The appraisement shall be made under direction of the Dawes Commision by such number of committees, with necessary assistance, as may be deemed necessary to expedite the work, one member of each committee to be appointed by the principal chief; and if the members of any committee fail to agree as to the value of any tract ofland, the R°P°“& value thereof ihall be filgced by Said commissionh Eaih iiopimittee shall make re ort o its wor to said commission, w ic s a -rom time to . time prgpare reports of same, in duplicate, and transmit them to the . Secretary of the Interior for his approval, and when approved one copy therlciof shall be returned to the ofli3e(pf said commission for its use in ma in a otments as herein rovi e . `A“°‘m"”““ 3. All landg of said tribe, except ag herein provided, shall be allotted among lihehcitizeps lof tlile ltribe  said comniission so als to give each _ an equa s are o the w o e in va ue, as near y as may e, in manner following : There shall be allotted to each citizen one hundred and sixty acres of land-—boundaries to conform to the Government survey- S"‘°"“’d““°"“°“"· which mayhbe selgztedhbydhimi so gs to include improlvempnt§. which be on to im. ne un re an sixty acres of lan, va ue at six dollaig. and fifty cents er acre, shall constitute the standard value of an allotment, and shall)be the measure for the equalization of values, and any allottee receiving lands of less than such standard value may, at any time, select other lands, which, at their appraised value, are _ sufdcient to make his allotment equal in value to the standard so Hxed. ,,,§‘§§,,°f,}°,§‘,,f’,f,§,*j‘}§,‘l"‘ If any citizen_select lands the a praised value of which, for any reason, is in excess of such standard) value, the excess of value shall be charged against him in the future distribution of the funds of the tribe