Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-08-03
The rnlou Platform.

The lnlon Platform.
IN its ilrsl conception the Kee-
too.whah Society was intended ~
give protection and safety 20 10
numbers IN the days'ol impending
war. When open civil government
fails 10 protect, then men who know
each other band together under an
oath Of mutual protection, This
was the case when the war ol the
rebellion opened and koc-loo.whah
Was framed. This idea l' the first
plank, 'fhoroloe We pledge our
selves TO support one another
as If Ne had affirmed II with an
oath . Its hest known 20 those
who hest know koo-loo-whah that
the Koo.loo-whah obligation was,
and Il yet by some, considered
more binding than an oath on the
HOLY Bible and II has been held,
until within the last few years, a
treason deserving death to vote
against your Kee-too-whah, We do
not understand that this platform
imposes the same obligation ON the
members of the Union party, but
allude 10 lis history for the pur.
pose of giving an understanding of
/ It's force. Kee-too.whah was franz
ed for mutual protection. spur
poses were good but the indiscri-
inmate promise 20 protect each
othor gave the chance for evil men
TO ioin il and demand protection.
! When they got protection kce-ioo-
whah got TO be very dangerous
organization. This evil has been
in a measure weoded out but all
know il is very difficult, If not inn
possible TO convict member of
| kee too-whah, with a Koc-too-
whah jury. A good many Of this
society understand very well the
danger Of this and do their duty as
iurymen without considering Kee-
| too-whah, but unfortunately u good
many do not understand that their
| first duty is to the constitution and
the law, but believe that the kee-
too-whah outranks the eonstitu-
ton and the law, as shown in the
18th plank Of the Union platform,
to-wit: an by-ldps shall be made
in general convention and shall
have the force of the PLATFORM,
constitution and ldws Of the Chero-
koo Nation" :" The by-Idws and
platform are mentioned first and
then comes the constitution and
law. The wording might be pass
ed by were it not made SO signiti-
cant by what we know 10 be the
fact. We regard this lst plank inju-
rious to the administration of law
just in degree as it keeps alive the
old spirit. The lst plank pledges
the members TO vote for each other,
the 2nd provides for getting all
the votes possible and to have them
Registered. The Sd and 4th, for
maintenance Of law, are good. The
9th is nonsense and buncombe to
tickle the lull-blood. eve emphat-
ically oppose uniting with either
of the political parties Of the
United States" " To be a Democrat
or Republican you must have a jed
eral rotc; no Cherokee has federal
vote, and union with Democrats
or Republicans is impossible, ac-
cording to federal law. It's pretty
good buncombe, however. The
9th is good enough, but the protest
is out OF place. The 7th, pointed
against Masons, Odd Fellows,
Knights of Pythias, etc, is a little
more buncombe, and contains some
prejudice against charitable socie-
F ties. Is is, perhaps, worthy Of
comment that the two most eili-
cient and prominent candidates for
the position Of Principal Chief and
the Secretary of the convention
were all Master Masons.
The Sth plank, requiring the
Kee-too-whah members to dqcnd
the platform and organization from
all opposition, we really do not un-
derstand, unless it is to suppress
freedom of speech and Of politlcal
opinion whenever opposed to Kee.
toowhah. These are constitutional
rights, and Kec-too-whah's great
aim is to respect the constitution. >
So we don't understand the Sth
plank. The 9th plank is good, but
a repetition Of the Sd. The 10th,
1lth, 18th and 18th planks provide
for political organization; and the
14th sets forth what should GER
tainly be true, that there shall be
no secret in Kee-too-whah. This
is said to be a new feature, though
we are told the National Kee,
whah's have for some time
done away with secrecy. The gen
cral spirit of this platform seems
to us to be a pandering to the full
blood element, and tits our convic'
ton that it is not good policy even
to win full-blood votes for they are
sensible people and shrewd politi-
clans and after awhile they see the
trick and lose confidence. The
Union party ought to meet anC
adopt a platform more suited t.
the genuine opinions of its most in
telligent men. If its intelligent
men cannot be recognized, they
had better support and be part o
the National party. They are un
der no obligations to support
party that will not recognize theil
sentiments nor what they know IL
be the true policy Of our little gov
eminent.
National and Union.
If YOU ask the ordinary voter
what is the distinctive difference
between the National and Union
parties he willhave some difficulty