Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-06

Concerning Oklahoma, which gallant
Captain Payne, now dead, and his able
confrere. Captain Couch, had made such
heroic efforts to have opened up to settle
ment, it is simply wicked absurdity to
say that any Indians have any rights there
at sill, and that bona fide white settlers
shall not be allowed to go in there and
develop its rich natural resources. The
government bought back the land from
the Seminoles and Greeks, with the idea
of having there some of the dangerous
Northern Indians, particularly the Sioux,
and more or less of the freedmen
of the South. but the latter
being elevated to the dignity of citizen
ship. preferred 70 stay where there was
more Sootblacking, whitewashing and
waiting TO be done. and nobody ned any
right TO send them to reservation. AS
for the Sioux, there was a grand concert
ed kick among the more or less civilized
Indians already on other reservations
against having such dangerous neighbors
forced upon them, SO the project, so far
as they were concerned, was abandoned.
and that beautiful, fertile, we'll watered.
finely timbered and healthful country lies
idle.
Even if the Sioux had not been killed
OF by the joint efforts of their neighbors
had they been sent down there-the
measure would have been fatal to them.
However bleak, inhospitable and bad the
country may be in which the Indian is
born and bred, you kill him when you
transport him to another, even though
the new may be in all respects infinitely
Ia+r tha,, %Io% - Il L
customed. He pines away and dies.
That was demonstrated in the case of the
Nez Perces. They were brought down
from the North and given reservation
that was paradise in comparison with
their former home, right il the best part
of the Indian Territory, yet they got so
homesick that they died off like rotten
sheep, and the government had to send
them back whence they came to save
them from utter determination.
Much of the strongest opposition to
the encroachments of civilization upon
the Indian Territory comes from the
"cattle barons..' The cunning Cherokees
assumed the responsibility of leasing to
the Cherokee Live Stock Association"
for term of five years, the vast tract
known as the "Cherokee o1tlet," over
which they had actually no more right of
disposal than you or have, an d got $780,
600 for it. Then the still more cunning
white men who had got the lease sublet it
in sections to nearly one hundred cattle
barops and spectators for an aggregate
of 100000. All those Leases expire next
October, by which time it is to be hoped
that Congress and a Democratic admin
istration will have settled this whole
question in the way that the people of
the West looking for homes have right
to expect, and that is unquestionably
for the best interests of the Indians.
The red man must be absorbed by the
white race, or, if they are unable to adopt
themselves TO civilization, must pass
away. I do not think that the latter will
be their fate, though it is altogether
probable that their numbers will be sadly
reduced before they fully accept in spirit
as well as deed, their altered condition of
life and the reaction comes to save them.
But the logic of the situation is inexor-
able, they can no longer live, as their
ancestors did, by the chase, nor can they
exist as the helpless, idle, dispirited ward
of the government. To be saved from
extinction they must learn to help them
selves. For term of years they should
be protected In business, and in posses
sion of their lands by such rigid laws as
would be for them safeguard az ainst
the willy whiteman, for they are as a mass
merely big children. But they are not by
any means unintelligent children, nor are
they naturally vicious ones, except in
such vices as are TO them the virtues of
their old predatory, Ishmaelitish, savage
life. Throw open the doors of civilization
to them, and you will ere long have them
educated to self reliance.
They will make good citizens. And at
the same time you offer to hundred
thousand white men, eagerly and anxious
ly looking forit, the most inviting land
of homes on all this broad and glorious
continent.