Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-07-20
The Unlon Platform.

The Union flAttufh.
In its first conception the kcc.
too-whah Society was intended %
give protection and safety 10 10
members in the days Of Impending
war. When open civil government
fails to protect, then men who know
each other band together undel an
oath of mutual protection. This
was the case when the war Of Thy
rebellion opened and Koe-too-whah
was framed. This idea is the first
plank: "Thereiorc we pledge our
selves to support one another
"as if we had affirmed il with 80
oath.n tits best known to those
who best know Kee-too-whah thtt
the Kee-too-whah obligation was,
and is yet by some, considere !
more binding than an oath ON tht
Holy Bible and it bas been held
until within the last few years, o
treason deserving death to voie
against your Kee-too-whah. We co
not understand that this platform
imposes the same obligation on sae
members Of the Union party, bnt
allude toits history for the purpose
of giving an understanding of NV
force. Kee-too-whah was framed
for mutual protection. Its puf.
poses were good but the indiscrl'
inmate promise TO protect each
other gave the chance for evil mer.
to join ii and demand protccticr.
When they got protection Kee-too-
whah got to bea very dangerous
organization. This evil has been
in a measure weeded out but AN
know it is very difficult ifnot lm'
possible TO convict a member ci
Kee-too-whah, with a Kee-tao-
whah jury. 4 good many Of thiF
society understand very well the
danger of this and do their duty A'
iurymen without considering kee.
too-whah, but unfortunately a good
many do not understand that thfit
first duty is to the constitution ara
the law, but believe that the Kew.
too-whah out-ranks the consulu.
ton and the law, as shown in Nht
10Th plank of the Union platform
to-wit: "1U bylaios shall be madt
| in general convention and shaII
have the force of the Platoon
constitution and ldus Of the ChcFt'
kee Nation" The By-iaus anna
Platform are mentioned first ana
then comes the constitution ant
law. The wording might be parA
ed bv were it not made SO signiN'
cant by what we all know to be NhN
fact. We regard this stplank inJu
rious to the administration Of law
| Just in degree as it keeps alive tht
old spirit. The 1st plank. pledSa'
the members to vote for each other
the 2nd provides for getting Al
the votes possible andto have ther.
registered, The Sd and 4th, KIN
maintenance Of law, are good. Tht
9th is nonsense and buncombe N
tickle the full-blood. ave emphNt
ically oppose uniting with eitAvr
Of the political parties Of tAd
United States" TO be Democra
or Republican you must have a faR
eral pote; no Cherokee has a tc hra
vote, and a union with Democrat
or Republicans is impossible a'
cording to federal law. It's prett,
good buncombe, however. Tht
9th is good enough, but the protes
is out of place. The 7th poin!cV
against Masons, Odd Fellows
Knights of Pythias, etc, is a liAt.I
more buncombe, and contains soag
prejudice against charitable sctie
ties. 1t is, perhaps, worthy y
comment that the two most WITH
cient and prominent candidates fo
the position Of Principal Chief an
the Secretary of the convention
were all Master Masons.
The Sth plank, requiring Oh
Kee-too-whah members to dtita
the platform and organization froi
all opposition, We really do not nn
derstand, unless it is to suppFes
freedom ofspeech and of politics
opinion whenever opposed " Kee
! too-whah. These are constitutions
rights. and Kee-too-whah's "grea
aim is to respect the constitution.
So we don't understand the ~
plank. The 9th plunk is good b.
; 4 repetition Of the 3d. The i0rl
= nth, 18th and 18th planks provid
for political organization, and Oh
18th sets forth what should ce
tainly be true, that there shall
I no secret in Kee-too-whah. IT..
{ is said to be a new feature, thoac
we are told the National H.
ioo-whab's have for some tin
done away with secrecy. The ~
eral spirit Of this platform seen
+ to us 10 be a pandering 70 the Cd
r blood element and il j. my conxi
ton that IL is not good policy eve
10 win fnll-blood votes Tor they s'
sensible people and shrcwd polii
D clans and after awhile they stc q
/. trick and lose confidence. Ti
r Union party ought % meet sl
adopt a platform more suited
the genuine opinions of iis most b
+ ielliecnt men. II it, iniellire
d mon can not BE rccngli1ed ih.
4 had better support and he a raFi
the National party They 3
, under 30 obligations 20 support
party thaf win pot recoxnile tae
r sentiments nor what they knoa
& l,t the true policy 81 eur iliiic ~
. crnmdnt.