THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
9
The Burke Bill ' a Law
dn the 8th. of May the Burke bill was
: .j proved hy the president and it is now
i law.
I The following is the full text of the bill :
' "He it enacted by the Senate and
Hntise of Representatives of the United
: Slates of America in Congress assembled.
; That section six of an Act approved Feb
I ruary eighth, eighteen hundred and
J ri'-hty -seven, entitled "An act to provide
j i''rtlie allotment of lands in -severalty
I ! Indians on the various reservations,
and to extend the protection of the laws
the United States and the Territorier
vi'r the Indians, and for other purposes,"
In-amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 6. That at the expiration of the
trust period and when the lands - have
In i n conveyed to the Indians by patents
in fee, as provided in section five of this
Act, then each and every allottee shall
have the benefit of and be subject to the
laws, both civil and criminal, of the State
nr Territory in which they may reside;
amino Territory shall pass or enforce
any law denying any such Indian with
in its jurisdiction the equal protection
nf the law. And every Indian born
within the territorial limits of the United
Mates to whom allotments shall have
been made and who has received a patent
in fee simple under the provisions of
this Act, or under any law or treaty, and
every Indian born within the territorial
limits of the United States and who
lias voluntarily- taken up within said
limits his residence, separate and apart
from any tribe of Indians therein, and
has adopted the habits of civilized life,
is hereby declared to be a citizen of the
United States, and is entitled to all the
rights, privileges, and immunities of
such citizens, whether Indian has been
or not, by birth or otherwise, a member
of any tribe of Indians within the terri
torial limits of the United States with
out in any manner impairing or
otherwise affecting the right of any such
Indian to tribal or other property: pro
vided, that the secretary of the interior
may, in his discretion, and he is hereby
authorized, whenever he shall be satisfied
that any Indian allottee is competent and
capable of managing his or her affairs
at any time to cause to be issued to such
allotee a patent in fee simple, and there
after all restrictions as to sale incum
brance, or taxation of said land shall be
removed and said land shall not be
liable to the satisfaction of any debt
contracted prior to the issuing of such
patent: provided further, That until
the issuance of fee simple patents all
allottees to whom trust patents shall
hereafter be issued shall be subject to
the exclusive jurisdiction of the United
States. And provided further, That the
provision of this act shall not extend to
any Indian in the Indian Territory."
That hereaf ter whoa an allotment of
land is made to any Indian, and any
such Indian dies before the expiration of
the trust period, said allotment shall be
cancelled and the land shall revert to
the United States, and the secretary of
the Interior shall ascertain the legal
heirs of such Indian, and shall cause to
be issued to said heirs and in their
names, a patent in fee simple for said
land, or he may cause the land to be
sold as provided by law and issue a pa
tent therefor to the purchaser or purcha
sers, and pay the net proceeds to the
heirs, or their legal representatives, of
such deceased Indian. That action of
the secretary of the Interior in deter
mining the legal heirs of any deceased
Indian, as provided herein, shall in all
respects be conclusive and final.