The President of the United States is hereby authorized, at any time
within six months after the approval of this act and the acceptance of
the same by the Cherokee Nation as herein provided, by proclamation, to
open to settlement any or all of the lands not allotted or reserved in
the manner provided in section 13 of the act of Congress approved March
2, 1889, entitled "An act making appropriations for the current and
contingent expenses of the Indian Department and for fulfilling treaty
stipulations with various Indian tribes for the year ending June 30,
1890, and for other purposes" (25 U.S. Statutes at Large, p. 1005);
and also subject to the provisions of the act of Congress approved
May 2, 1890, entitled "An act to provide a temporary government for
the Territory of Oklahoma, to enlarge the jurisdiction of the United
States court in the Indian Territory, and for other purposes;" also
subject to the second proviso of section 17, the whole of section 18,
of the act of March 3, 1891, entitled "An act making appropriations
for the current expenses of the Indian Department and for fulfilling
treaty stipulations with various Indian tribes for the year ending
June 30, 1892, and for other purposes;" except as to so much of said
acts and sections as may conflict with the provisions of this act.
Each settler on the lands so to be opened to settlement as aforesaid
shall before receiving a patent for his homestead pay to the United
States for the lands so taken by him, in addition to the fees provided
by law, the sum of $2.50 per acre for any land east of 97-1/2° west
longitude, the sum of $1.50 per acre for any land between 97-1/2° west
longitude and 98-1/2° west longitude, and the sum of $1 per acre for
any land west of 98-1/2° west longitude, and shall also pay interest
upon the amount so to be paid for said land from the date of entry
to the date of final payment therefor at the rate of 4 per cent per
annum.