Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-02-07

Views OF the Executive on Cues
tions OF Interest.

mayes 10 gentleman IN TINS vi
cinity who had written him upon
a number Of topics concerning the
affairs Of the nation, and which
was kindly shown Us by the re-
cipient:
AT IfouK, Jan. rs, lsso.
DEAR FRIEND:-Y Yours Of the 7th
inst, was received and read with
pleasure. Was glad to know that
you aud my other friends up that
way did approve my course in the
discharge of my official duties
since | have been called to fill the
important trust they have placed
in my hands. Am glad TO know
they have confidence in my integ.
rity as their servant, and hope
| shall never live TO know that |
have betrayed that confidence. My
conscience is clear; have nothing
to regret so far as my actions are
concerned.
T. You speak approvingly of the
cattle and hay laws. II was the
best that could be done under the
circumstances
Many efforts were made to make
a law regulating the introduction
OF cattle in our country. Some
very unreasonable laws passed but
the one that was signed up was a
compromise between the two OK
tremes.
Last council q year ago, | sent
message TO the council asking that
a royalty be placed on hay and let
it be cut and shipped in a manner
regulated by law. The act that is
now in force was passed then by
the council ip answer to my mes
sage, Immediately before the ad.
journment of that council. In my
annual message last council called
attention to the law that was in
my hands and asked theu again to
regulate this shipping of hay in a
manner that the nation and indi-
vidual could both be protected.
The council refused to do any
thing-hence the hay law. /
thought better to stop it entirely,
than have it handled as it bad
been. Let it remain in the pres
ent condition and the next council
can tell what is best to do. | will
approve a law that regulates il in
any way that is reasonable. Let
il be source of revenue to our
country. The revenue of this
country is a very important matter
and will surprise even ourselves if
properly managed. The revenue
east Of $50 ought to run our gov
ernment of itself, if we can keep
few men from putting it in their
pockets. If ever l can get coun-
Gil that will properly see to this
matter Of revenue, will make
many changes to the advantage Of
the country.
You speak Of the advisability OF
selling our country west Of 06o.
am opposed to selling it for many
reasons. In the first place, I
want the world to know that it is
ours, absolutely-that the title is
vested in the Cherokees. Then if
there is a price to be put upon it,
we must price it and il it is to be
sold we must by all means get its
full value. And more than all
this, the longer we keep it the
more valuable ii gets, and to sell
it means a territorial government.
II is too small for a state or terri
tory; it means destruction Of our
present form OF government.l A
territorial government IN any
shape over this country means
robbery. We cannot try the ex-
pertinent Of another government in
our present condition. II ever
there should be any change in our
government, we should first settle
our land question and then the on
ly safety would be state and not
a territorial government.
You speak OF the dangers at
tached TO is'ein its present condi-
tion. 1t might look so, with so
much territorial booming. Now if
you or anyone else can show me
any instance where the United
States government has ever abol-
ished a patent to a piece of land
where she has ever annulled fee
simple title TO piece ofland-then
/ will commence getting scared.
But not until | know that the
United States government is gull
ty of such things will my conf
dence be shaken.
II the Cherokee people will
wisely govern themselves, they
have an almost unlimited resource
for wealth and as long as | live /
shall use my best endeavors to de-
Yelop those resources and make
them bring TO the country their full
value. One great misfortune is,
we fail to appreciate our wealth.
We must learn one lesson and that
is to put the full value on our prop
erly. Sec for yourself what a des-
perate effort has been made to de-
preciate the value of our best piece
Of property by respectable looking
men in high places. We must
learn 10 do better than this.
have maps showing that the
Cherokees have sold the Great
Britain and the United States gov.
ernment over eighty-one million
acres Of land and now who can
tell what we got for it-a mere
song.
We were not offered eighteen
million dollars for our land. Tho
parties simply wanted us 10 agree
to LET them have il, provided they
could induce the United States