Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-07-20
THE CHEROKEE STRIP

Now that all the papers relating to
the lease of the Cherokee Strip by the
stockmen have been drawn up, signed
and approved. it will not be inappropri-
ate to briefly review the subject of this
lease, and show that the lessees indeed
have most desirable privileges, such as
are not picked up every day.
Under the system of renting grazing
lands from the individual Cherokees,
and paying taxes to their collectors,
stockmen were subjected to various in
conveniences, which were multiplying
every season. There were no well es-
tablished boundaries to the ranges;
there were no assurances that stock
man could occupy his range longer than
one season; new men were going in
with stock and offering inducements to
have those already established ousted
and their range given to them; there
was continual dispute as to the num-
Der of cattle held by the ranchmen and
on which they were willing to pay the
grazing tax. All these difficulties COM
bined to make the cattle business I'M
certain, and even hazardous. Not on
ly this, but the Cherokee people saw
that men were getting peculiar foot
hold on their territory, were destroying
their timber and gradually but surely
laying the foundation for a colony with
the object of owning the country, or,
what was the same, having it declared
government property, when they, being
in possession, would have the first OPP
pOrtunity of homesteading the choicest
sites. So the Cherokees were mindful
of the necessity of inaugurating some
other system of utilizing their valuable
possessions.
Consultations were held among lead
ing stockmen, and the pulse of the
Cherokee nation was felt through its
accredited representatives. The au-
thOritieS at Washington was conferred
with and their opinions ascertained.
Then the subject of the lease was made
a more public matter and the press of
the country discussed it pro and con.
The cry of monopoly was raised and
the stockmen who were leading in the
effort to secure q lease were accused of
attempting to perpetrate steal on
the Cherokee people. Next was an at
tempt to create dissatisfaction among
the cattlemen, and the owners of small
er herds were warned to be on their
guard, as, it was represented the larger
owners would swallow up their ranges.
Matters were assuming more definite
form, and the Cherokee council was
called together to consider the question
of the lease, or if that was not agreed
on, determine what must be done with
the many conflicting interests then
claiming recognition from the nation.
The Cherokee Strip Live Stock Asso-
citation offered to lease the entire Strip
west of the ninety-siXth degree, and
proposed to so manage the grazing
lands that equal and exact justice
would be done to all stOckmen entitled
to range on the strip, by reason of long
occupancy, etc.
Here it was that outside parties inn
agined they saw their chance to
slip in and steal the opportunity prepar-
ed by others. True, they had no cattle
on the lands in question, and perhaps
nowhere else; but they saw chance to
speculate-tO blackmall-and they also
announced that they wanted to lease the
strip.
Though there was a bill introduced to
lease the lands to others than the pres
ent lessees, a sufficient number of the
members of the council did not recog-
nize in these new applicants for favOrs
the men who had made the country
what it was; they were not the ones
who had paid the grazing taxes, and
who had risked their capital in making
a success of the stock business in the
strip. So the spectators were stood
aside and bill passed leasing the lands
to the Cherokee Strip Live Stock Asso-
citation. This bill met with the hearty
approval of the Nations Chief, and was
in turn approved by the secretary of
the interior. \ lease in accordance
with the provisions of the bill has been
drawn up and signed by the Chief of
the Cherokee Nation, and the directors
of the Live Stock Association. So mat
tiers are settled for five years. The
Cherokee Nation will be benefited by
larger rental than ever before, and
this is paid to them without the expense
of collection, and semi-anually. The
nation is as secure in getting this rev.
enue tax regularly and in having its
property returned in good shape as if it
had the United States treasury as Sc
curity. Its lessees are liberal as ten
ants, and every Individual member has
voice in controlling the course of the
association, and no special privileges
are granted to any, every member hav-
ing one vote, and no more. Stockmen
are as certain that their rights will be
respected as if they were dealing with
any other organization of fair minded,
honest people.
Members of the Association, who are
the cO-leSSeeS or this most valuable
privilege are to be congratulated on
their good fortune. They may rest Sc
cure in the knowledge that they will
not be interruptedfor five years at least
in handling their herds as they choose.
Every mans territory will be assigned
him, and on this he can place as many
animals or as few as he chooses, for he
Will pay so much per acre, and will not
be taxed on the cattle he owns.
True, only members of the associa-
ton profit in this lease, but this is
right and just. They have done the
work, stood up for their rights and they
should reap the harvest. Otherwise
interlOpers and adventures would be