Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-03
A MODEL. GOVERNMENT.
The Cherokees Solving the Land CUES
tion-No One without Home.


WASHINGTON, June Ex-senator In
gals, who has just returned from the IN
dian Territory, whittier he went VITA a
subcommittee to investigate certain mat
ters by order of the Senate, speaks with
enthusiasm OF the condition Of the civil
lied tribes. To a reporter who called
upon him this afternoon he said that the
journey had enlightened him with regard
to matters of which he had no previous
appreciation, although he had once before
passed through the Territory. This tribal
government was democratic in form, " TN
an elective chiefmagistrate and an Upper
and Lower House of Legislature, which
assembled annually. There were courts
with an elective judiciary, and convicted
criminals were punished as In communi-
ties OF whites. There were no laws for
the collection Of debts, and, as the stand
ard of commercial honor was high, none
We're needed.
Fifty per cent. Of the entire revenue of
Jne Cherokees was spent for eduCatiOnaI
purposes. Wherever thirteen chirdran
could be gathered together, a school house
was built and Il teacher with ample quail
hcatlons was employed. Two cottages
one Tor each seN-were maintained, the
buildings beng Of noble proportions and
all the appointments creditable. The tri-
bal government nOtonly furnished buildings
and PAID the teachers, but clothed and fed
the pupils. A number of graduates We're
selected each year and sent, at the public
expense, to continue their studies at Yale,
Dartmouth, and other high institutions
Of the East. The utmost good feeling pre-
vailed towards the United States, but no
disposition existed to change the relations
between the tribes and the nation. 1t was
conceded that the treaties had been faith
fully kept by the government, but there
was feeling OF apprehension that the
tribal forms of government might be over
turned by the admission of white settlers,
to which the Indians were earnestly OPP
posed. On the other hand, however, they
manifested no objection 10 the admission
of other tribes of Indians to homes In the
Indian Territory, and they seemed TO
think it would be- the policy of the
government to concentrate the Indians
there.
In the Senator's opinion, the Indians
seem to have reached the ideal solution
of the land question. All the land be-
longs in common to the tribe, but any
citizen may cultivate as much as he
chooses, provided be does not come WITH
in a quarter of a mile of the tract cuiti-
waited by his neighbOr. This provision is
designed to break up the tendency to col
lect in small communities, which was
thought to be provocative of idleness.
The occupant OF the land is its absolute
pOssessoT, and may leave it to his chill
dren or sell his possessory rights TO anOth-
er citizen, but he may not sell to AN out
slider, and if he ceases to cultivate, the
land reverts TO the public domain. This
prevents the requirement OF large tracts
of land by individuals and removes the
danger of the evils which result from
land m0nOpOlies. The freedmen are bet
ter treated than among the Anglo
SaXons, and no civil or political right is
denied.
Senator ingalls, thinks the advantages
Of the Indian Territory as farming re-
giOn have been Overst0ted. 1t is q beau
tiful country to lOokupOn, with large for
ests of oak and other hard woods, which,
being free from undergrOwths have the
aspect of well-kept parks; but much Of
the country is mountainous and rugged,
and the belief prevails among the Indians
that if they were to take 10 the plOw uni
Yersally there would not he arabic land
enough IN their reservation to give them
100 acres each. Among the 10, 600 Indians
inhabting tt at country. there is not a
pauper. No person is supported at the
public expense, and no one lacks home.
Only one insane person was heard OF.