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

lut believe IA intelligence lttHlHf.
Thl Ant class ls largely halthped
ana adopted citizen; the second
class is largely Nll.blood, Tho
Union marty Is composed Of two
elasses, also. First, a conserYa.
tive cuslnm.loying, nneduealed
class who care nothing for progress
but are willing 10 give intelligence
lust enough recognition 70 hold q
certain vote, but propose 10 run
the government itself, and have a
mll.bl0od Chief second, an edu'
caied cniepnslng class, who UNI
dolstond government very welh
but who imagine that good iailh re-
uuircs them 20 support forever the
Downing party or the Ross party
II is true the Downing and the
Ross parties disappeared with the
birth OF the Union party, but their
various Simon's say they must
stick to the Union, that il Is the
same party, though the Ross and
Downing elements were always VI.
olently opposed to each other, and
each party must now support the
eract opposite Of itself il the Ross
and Downing parties were ever op-
posite. Some Of the intelligent
leaders of this 2nd class doubtless
feel that they can control a null
blood Chief, and hence urge him
forward.
Whatever the motive, however,
the National and Union have two
classes with ideas much alike, ! e.
the intelligent progressive element
and the anti-progressiye, uneduea'-
cd element. The parties are com
posed Of the same kind of people,
too; there are good capable men IN
both parties and there are some
genuine scamps in each. II gives
me q pain in the back to hear a
National man ioolishly accusing q
Union man Of yilliany, or a Union
man absurdly abusing in like man,
nor all National men. That kind
of weak folly is what has caused So
much political ill-feeling in the Ma.
ton, and ought to be stopped
Both parties are alike in having O
Kce-too-whah organization among
the full-bloods. Both parties arc
alike in having more or less pollu'
cal prejudice against the darkey,
and both are alike in earnestly de-
string his vote. Well, what is the
difference between the two parties
1t is this: The National party
has enough of the progressive ele,,
ment to control its movements and
it has the acquiescence of its full,
blood supporters to an enlightened
policy. It boldly ayows its plat
form of principles, and appeals tc
the intelligence OF the Nation. II
believes in intelligence and pro
gress and puts its best man forward
The Union party is controlled by
unprogressiye, anti-labor elements
and instead of adopting platform
suited to the opinions and feeling;
of its thinking mon, it has adopted
the poor ole platform of 1859
whose only purpose seems to be tc
catch the full-blood vote, They dl
not publish it abroad, and until
published it in the INDIAN CHIEF
TAIN, | do not suppose it ever saw
print. They put up an honest man
indeed, but not their best man
Such men as Rev. W. A. Duncan
whom | understand to have beer
presented to the nominating con.
vcntion without his consent. anc
Hon. Wm. p. Ross could not b(
nominated, but the present candi'
/ date, who cannot speak English
and is almost quite blind, and who
would be at the mercy Of his inter
prefers and advisors for his tact'
and his arguments, Is preferred
The character Of u party Is made
by the sentiments Of a majority o
its leaders, and you must judge 2
party by the majority of its lead
ers and its palpablt policy. I'm: /!
party puts up a full-blood as Chief
who is blind and can speak no En-
glish, they adopt a tupremeiy stu
pid platform. Ask and answer th'
question, whN 1t is simply be
cause a controlling majority OF th'
Union leaders are opposed to pro
gress, to enlightened civil govern
ment and to the selection of thell
leaders on basis of capabllity
Their platform and Chiefs noml
nation pander to full-blood prclu
dice to secure their vote. The Ma
tional party has Il controlling ma
iority with opposite views, favor
ing liberal labor laws, and legisla
ton is suited to our enterprisinl
class, and the selection OF the mos
capable and honest men. II j
! fair to remark that the Nationa
party does not do all it might dc
| in the selection of men nor in main
tanning the principles ef its plat
form, but its errors are due to hu
man weakness and internal faction
not for want Of proper purpose. =
party should be judged by its gen
eral action not by individual errors
1t is not Just to condemn the Bap
tist or the Methodist church be
cause you know a Baptist or Meth
odist rascal. | have endeayoreC
| in the above to sketch what seem
ed to me the main difference be
tween the two parties. | beliey'
/ il the truth, and speak for only on,
man, a Cherokee by blood, VIII,
likes his country and his people
who proposes to live in it some
thieg less than one hundred years
and who is anxious TO see tn
country managed intelligently t.
the good Of the whole Cherokee
,.o,,,la q G.