 Attrition and skirmishes by the US Army finally forced the return of the tribes back to Indian Territory in June 1875.In 1891, the United States Congress appointed a commission to meet with the tribal leaders and come to an agreement allowing white settlement in the region.Years of controversy and legal maneuvering ensued before President William McKinley issued a proclamation on July 4, 1901, that gave the federal government control over of surplus Indian land.