Wichita eagle., 1888-07-12
A CHEROKEE ISSUE.
Contest in the National Council Over
Grazing Privileges.

TAHLEQUAH. l. r., July 11.-One of the
most unique and one of the most singular
fights that ever took place in the Cherokee
council is now going on over the grazing
privileges of the Cherokee nation or strip
consisting of 5000, 900 acres of land. The
present lessees, the Cherokee Strip Live
Stock association. through their represen-
tative, E. N. Iiewings, made an offer at
the first meeting of the council of $685.
This bid was tried to be put through by a
species of class legislation unprecedented
in any county or legislative body.
After being amended to $4,000,
it pissed both houses and went to the
chief, and while he took the constitutional
time of consideration of the blll-five days
"a Texas organization, the Northwestern
Texas Cattle company, headquarters at
Dallas put in bid OF 5000, 900, and shortly
after this Waco (TeX.) syndicate put in a
bid for SIG, 200 per annum. Chief MayeS
then thought it his duty to veto the $780,
900 bill, which provided that the strip
should go to the present lesees. In time
ly message he informed the council that
he had been assured that more than $780,,
600 could be got for the grazing privilege
on the strip. and he felt it his duty to get
all he could for the people. This veto did
not please the Nationals; for it does seem
that the present lessees are favorites with
the National party, who have majority
in both branches of the National council,
and they talked freely of pass
ing the Sl50,000 bill in ia
vor of the Cherokee Strip Live
stock association over the chiefs veto, but
after counting noses they found they did
not have the requisite two thirds aiority
in each house, and they abandoned that
idea, and went to tilibustering and max
ing all mannerof charges against other bid
ders as they dropped in. The other bidders.
seeing their trickeries. put up about SO. 900
earnest money. Then the last report of the
Nationals was to refer the whole matter to
n committee of three composed of two
Nationals and one Downing man, to in
veStigate the responsibility of the various
companies bidding. A majority and mi
nority report is looked for, the majority
favoring the present lessees while the mi
nority will be for the highest responsible
bidders. The chief and his party, the
Downings, want all they can get from the
lessees of the strip. and claim that the
Nationals are satisfied and do not want
any other bid higher than the $50, 600
The country TO be leased, the Cherokee
strip, covers 60,000,000 acres and is worth,
good judges claim, cents per acre at the
lowest. This would amount to over $780,
600 per annum. Other bidders are expect
ed and the CherokeeS yet may get some
thing like what their land is worth. A
prominent old-time Cherokee said:
The Cherokee Live Stock association
has more sweet herds here than a little
| never saw a company loved so well, at
least by a part of the Cherokee council, as
these fellows are. Some members are act
ing like the other bidders money and
securities are all bogus or straw, while the
Cherokee strip fellows are the only ones
who handle good money and gilt-edge
securities. | guess the angels must have
made their money; it looks that way to
me- tell you the people are masters and
are getting tired OF this tomfooling"