Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-08-02

III IS clalmcu tnat inc COUNCIL was
right, because it was the council,
and il they preferred to lease 20 a
n pet company for sum far below
the real value Of the lease, it was
thoir business, and the chief and
everybody ought TO be satisfied.
AS a further excuse for such con-
duct, il is recited that the council
re-assertcd again and again their
authority to dispose Of this ques-
ton, and that Difference to them rs
law makers ought at least, entitle
them to the considerations of hon
est intention.
Numbers seem to add strength
to the position. tits claimed that
the bills passed by large MAORI
ties, the Nationals in a body and
few Downings chipping in. This
is an assumption that the largest
number ofthe same opinion in a
controversy is always right. 1t
may be generally depended on as
being so, when contradictory
facts can be scared up as potent as
the difference between sl75,000
and s1S5,000 and $500, 900 were
4 chance offered.
A few Of the Downings falling
into the ranks of the Nationals,
just enough to entitle the mixture
to the cons idcrations Of a, COM
pound, does certainly relieve the
council Of a strictly party action
in passing as many bills as they
did to release to the old company,
but chat does not, in the least, ex-
cuse their conduct when it cannot
be denied that, if bids had been
advertised for, moro than $780,
600 would have been offered
Neither those Of the council who
by their actions proved that they
were totally opposed to adyertis-
ing, nor those who are uselessly
spending their breath in defend
ing them for so doing, have ever
attempted to give any reasons why
they disregarded the chiefs rec
concentrations in the matter. The
only grounds upon which this
bitter opposition can be reasonably
based is political an.mosity-ii
nothing else. A few Of the Ma.
tional members of the senate in
forensic thunder declared th at
S135, 900 were enough-tEat the
lease was worth no more, as it
was only Or the grass, which, if
not used, would be burned and
blown away. Such exhibitions
of tender consciousness in the
valuation of ones interest tops the
list OF all historic benevolence,
and when against such noble and
honest convictions these tender
hearted gentlemen were forced up
to $3.50, 900 and still further up to
the appalling heights OF $4,000,
what must have been their dis
tress Of conscience Its too bad
BE these things as they may,
how many hands will go up TO
signify a knowledge o! the rea-
sons why the council would not
advertise for bids, and to give the
public the benefit Of them =? Or
why they insisted, to the defeat
Of any legislation on the rubject,
in leasing to the old company for
aspecifed q sum, and in ignoring
others who were as able and al
anxious to lease as they? Toe
the mark and let's hear from you.
Don't go banging around after ex-
ezses, but come directly to the
point, and in clear language tel,
why the council did not favor ad
vertising. Here is a chance foi
some knowing fellow to win tn,
everlasting gratitude Of the Ma
tional party, and become its cham
pion. Now is your time to steI
to the front, covering all else il
your rear, and become the center
attraction of a political characture
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