Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-03-07

I SUCH nibOuuNr VI ihlllr M WtHb ouittA
them for support Of schools, asylums
universities, seminaries and other pur
poses. Tney could, in fact, administer
on their own estate; whereas, II this II
not done, the United States will sooner
or later determine the matter of heirshiJ
for them, and devise according to It's vii
and pleasure their entire landed interests
I AS was before stated, the bar 10 further
progress is common tltle,r and that
can be removed without disturbing th,
people. If done In this way II viii be-
opposed by only small class of dema.
gogues and some others, whose inter.
est II Is to utilize more of the common
country than would fall to their share on
a division. The delegations which are
regularly sent 10 Washington by these
different tribes will also oppose any
change which might deprive them Of
their occupation.
Another and serious mistake Is made
In attempting to apply the same lcgisla-
ton TO different Indians in vastly differ
ent stages Of civilization and advance
ment. No difference is made In meas
ures which are to effect ChOctaws and
] Comanches, Cherokees and Cheyennes
alike This IS manfestly wrong. What
Is suitable for one Is not for the other.
What would be best for a Comanche
now would have applied TO Choctaw or
a Cherokee fifty yenrs ago; not now.
This proposition TO allot the lands In
seyeralty and do away with the common
title is intended to apply TO those Indians
who have made all the progress possible
under the "lndian tltIe.n They are pre-.
pared TO appreciate and utilize the adj.
yantages of individual ownership. and
would welcome the change In the tenure
Of these lands If such change was offered
without affecting the autonomy OF their
tribal organizations, and which can so
easily be done. But to do this il is neces.
sary the land should be owned by citI.
zens of the tribe, or ''natlon," except
such tracts as might be set apart for
school purposes, asylums, etc. il would
be the policy of the different tribes To-
richly ondow these schools, Summaries
etc. The best mode and manner of fix.
ing the limit of individual ownership. nc
to the amount for each citizen. would be
matter for discussion among themselves.
The essential feature would be that the
"comnon" title should be devised I'm its
entirety among the citizens of each tribe
thus preventing the Introduction of any
foreign element as landholders so long
as II was necessary to maintain the
tribal organization. II any portion what.
ever Of the land Is to be sold to citizens
OF the United States it precludes the nos.
sibllity of continuing & ibal government.
and Immediately the measure is met with
the undivided opposition of the entire
Indian communities.
Every measure proposed so far pro.
vides for tit to definite number of
acres to each Indian or citizen of the
tribe, and the sale Of whatever balance
there may be, to citizens OF the United
States, and the payment Of tn price TO
the Indians. This acknowledges the
title OF the Indians to all of the land--in
fact this is denied nowhere. That n |
.lvision OF aH the land among the In. |
dams would give each one q greater
quantity than his needs, or he could use |
Is no reason whatever why IL should MOI |
be secured to them The land will even. |
Jnally 90 to the man who best appre- |
GATES It's worth and will best
utilize 1t, There is ''an etcinal
fitness OF things" that can NOT
forever be disregardcd, nor can these |
changes be made in a day, and il at |
tempted VIII bring wrong and Injustice |
on the weaker party from that cnpidity |
always present, and for which haste |
would furnish an opportunity, and |
instead OF progress, industry and enter
PRISE we would lind poverty and degrade
tlon' Each individual would not be pos
sessed OF an excess of land longer than
would be necessary for him 10 Ipoyn lie
true value, for that would be the purnosn
OF, the "entail," and it Is not necessary
to say he would receive five, ten. or NAV
DC an hundred fold more for IL when Dis,
posed OF individually than II sold thronDh
Tue government, and the necessity for
dissolution Of the tribal government and
mis- consequent opposition be avoided,
whlIc this bar TO another stare of pro.
gress is removed
we would then sum up the measures
leuueu AT the present time to in
9u,t III the near future final
'olutloh OF the "lndian problem"
SO lar as these Ave civilized tribes
Ire concerned And we arc asSnrad
rom u personal acquaintance with almost
very prominent and thinking member of
,acn OF the i've tribes, obtained by A resi-
fence among them for nearly tnenty.Gyc
ears, that II these measures can be
secured withoutld lssolntlon of tribal or
and government, and jnter-
erence with local regulations. that thev
WI be opposed only by the demapo@ue
lement and those who have not vet ev.
list OF; "'"' 'oh' ,
An allotment of lands in soyeralty
= United States court in the conn
~, Oh the country and for tho country I
ion. J"'iSu'o- {
y delegate in congress under tbe |
reaties OF 1866. '"o I
Inc lands OF each tribe 60 be Divided (
! thelr entirety among the citizens Of a
nat tribe, except such portion as should h
Q SCI apart for schools, etc. y
But | have made this article muc,, r
)nSer now than was Intended, but there a
so much that should be said IN refer. p
nee 20 this matter In order that certain h
ilstakes may be corrected, and that at b
last the Initiative be taken In mensnrcs
u inc oetterment OF the relations of Inc "
Nanced indians with the general gov- II
Inment, and further, that the pro5osI. II
on may be made clear that the indi. Fl
lugalIation OF title is the KEY TO a more Il
erect civilization, with all that attarbes lo
such condition, for these peoples a
LEX. a.
AuNico ff aa.,..