The Russellville Democrat., 1879-07-03
THE INDIAN QUESTION--THE TERRITORY OF OKLA
 HOMA.

adopted by the Arkansas Press As sociatlon at its recent annual meet ing held at the Capital of the State June 1st, 1879, Tn regard to the In. dian question. There can be nc cavll about it--this IS q question oi deep and increasing interest to the people of Arkansas, and not to the people of Arkansas ONLY, for the In. dian himself and the citizens of con tiguous States gre as much interest ed as ourselves.
 We commend the resolutions adopted by the Press Association te the careful consideration of our na tional authorities. We also com mend them to the calm, deliberate consideration of our Indian neigh bors, who certainly must sec and know that the inevitable decrees oi fate point in the direction indicated by the resolutions. We believe the resolutions reflect the sentiment of ! very large majority of the people oi our State. It may be urged by those who are opposed to the policy mark ed out by the resolutions that this is another evidence of the desire of the white man to push the poor Indian to the wall-to drive him further west-to rob him of the rights vest ed in him by treaty stlpulations' but not so. We would not wrong him. On the contrary we would ele' vate him to the full dignity of Amer can citizenship and vest him with all the rights, privileges and immu mites enjoyed by the white citizen of the States. This must come, wil come-as surely as that Territory forms a part of the domain of the United States, so surely must il come under the same laws and regu lations as other parts of the country The sooner this can be accomplished the better for the Indian.
 Your committee appointed to take into consideration the matter rela- ting to the territory of Oklahoma, submit report No. l.
 We have had under consideration the matter referred to us, and deeply regret that want of time forbids an extended and exhaustive exa,nina tion and discussion of the subject It is matter of deep and vital con- cern to the people of our beloved State and our Indian neighbors. IL is a matter of no less concern to all contiguous States.
 Lying along our entire western border is Q country of great beauty and fertility. It ought to be the home of thousands ol happy families, the site of growing and busy cities the the theater of intellectual and material progress. Instead of this it stands to-day as the barrier oi progress and q monument o1 governmental folly. We are aware that we speak in strong terms The subject demands it., It is folly for great government to prevent by legal restrictions, the develop ment of any section of this great country. It's worse than folly fol the government to prevent any in habitant or class of inhabitants from rising to the full dignity o American citizenship, and thus from full identifcations with tho country. Your committee believe that such has been the result o Legislation relative to the Indiar territory. Our Indian neighbor' and friends have been kept in { state of tutelage, not to say of vas salage, by the general government They have, to considerable extent been brought in contact wlth.a ba( element from the States. Fugitiye' from justice and lawiess men have crossed their borders, and the result has been an injury to the Indlal and a reproach to the whites Where they have been thrown il contact with the best class of whit' men the relation has been pleasan and profitable. A striking proof O this is the result attending tn decision of the present Secretary o the Interior, of August 80, 1877, b! which, based upon the law ant taeatles, the people of the IndiaI Territory may employ skilled labor i. e., whites from the States, and il consequence of which decision vas tracks of fertile lands have beer brought under cultivation, school houses and churches built, and a new era of rapid progress inaugurated.
 We would not wrong the Indian We wish to see his rights secured by law. Sooner or later this mus be done. It IS matter of deep in te-est to us and of the last impor tance to them. The best mel among them so recognize 1t, anC desire the vested rights of citizen shin.