Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-04-05
THE CONsnOUENCrs.

p oi the stIlp lanuS lot grazing pur
poses is made a subject OF discus
sion. Some. there are who main.
tain the idea that there will be nc
revenue from the strip lands un.
less they are leased, and that it
would have been much better to
have accepted the S125,00o offer
than to be uncertain about any at
I all. Between a failure to lease,
when there was a chance to lease,
and the possibility of no lease at
all, there is just enough room for
unoasiness to cause some to 60 in
TO trepedations about the the mat
ter, and TO blame the administra.
ton for not accepting n safe bar
gain, if it was a cheap one. Bet
ter be safe than uncertain, is the
theory of him who is a coward and
of him who is without enterprise
or adventure. There is a sublimi-
ty in the failure of a bold, daring
and a brave attempt to accomplish
some high and noble purpose in
the interest of people. Only the
plodder who is contented TO ac-
cept conditions as they happen, in
the same manner he does the rain
as it falls, prefers to remain in
the bounds of his narrow but safe
way Of doing business.
But there are reasons for beliey-
ing that revenue equal to, if not
greater than the sl25, 900, will be
realized from the strip lands. In
support of this belief it may be
safely assured that the strip will
not be left tenantless; that the
number of cattle and other stock
out there will not be materially
diminished, because no lease has
been effected, or because the offer
OF a certain association has been
refused. In support of this opin.
ion the scarcity Of grazing lands,
their continual decrease, may be
recited as a substantial cause, and
as necessary consequence those
that are good and held exclusive
ly for grazing purposes must not
only increase in value but become |
more in demand. Than the strin
lands for grazing purposes there
are none better in the west, and !
being what they are, the failure TO
lease them will operate but little,
If any at all, against their occu.
pancy by cattlemen. This is
what the nation wants in the event
no lease is effected. The greater
the number Of cattle grazed upon
those lands the better will il be
for the Cherokees financially.
Their necessity as grazing grounds
will then be fully established and
their value made known.
A lease cannot be said to be re-
ally necessary To secure the high.
est amount Of revenue, as it may
be alleged that the revenue now
received is lot paid by the lessees
On their own cattle, but on sub
cases by those who have cattle
enough to make it their interest TO
pay so much per acre. The asso-
'iation cannot within the emselves,
ipon their profits in the cattle
business, if we take their. own rep
esentation and outside reports, !
'ay for the lease. They are ena-
lied to do this by the assistance t
# sub-leases. If this is the fact,
f which there is but little doubt, +
{ any at all, it may be reasonably /
ssumed that this state of affairs
ill continue to exit; that the
astures, will in a majority of cas- {
;, be occupied, and that those r
no hold them will as willingly
nd promptly pay the nation for
lem as they have the association.
o one Of the lessees would per. 7
APPS hazard an expression that >
~ of the pastures will be aban- u
1ned or left unoccupied for any ~
'nsiderable length OF time. The o
ssees themselves cannot we'll af- I'll
I'd TO abandon the country If 70
ey are stockmen and own any "a
'nsiderable quantity. They can K,
1t better matters by pulling up gi
axes and hunting for cheaper or "
eener pastures. They can find III
me cheaper or better. As a con- 70 ~,
quence, il they do not quit tn G 10
lsiness entirely, they must re- wi
ain where they are. II may be W
sier to quit than it may be gen. W. W.
ally supposed, because if they Nc Nc
e merely lessees and are realiz- on
9 a profit only on the lease, they by
n easily vacate their "dug outs" lal
d leave the country. ~ ~
How will the nation bo benefited IN
these events or that any con- be