Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-04-26
TIE RUSH TO OKLAHOMA.

THE RUSH TO OKLAHOMA.
The outcome of the Oklahoma settlement
promises in many respects to be disastrous.
For many years it was an affection to thou
sands Of honest dupes, who were induced
to go to the borders of the region with the
expectation of being admitted at once into
the territory. During all this period there
never was the slightest probability that set
tiers would be allowed to enter-facts which
were perfectly well known to the railway
companies, the adjacent towns and the con-
scienceless adventures who captained the
movement.
There was conspiracy among these three
TO get emigrants to come to the spot, the
railways wished the profits Of bringing the
people and taking them away again, the
towns wished to fill their hotels and board
ing houses and to sell Quitting goods to the
camps. Those who assumed to lead the
men across the border were paid fer their
services by the other partners in the mi qui.
tOus enterprise. 1t is quite probable that
during all these years, many hundreds of
thousands of dollars have been taken from
the scanty capital Of deluded emigrants.
1t is not merely this species of robbery
that has characterized the condition of these
victims. Many of them sold their farms in
States and moved with their families to the
Oklahoma borders, where their money soon
gave out, and they were compelled to part
with their outfits, and were thus reduced to
starvation and beggary. The evils inflicted
have been numerous and monstrous in their
wickedness.
Now, with the region opened, there will
not be any mitigation of the persistent suf
fering which has always been connected
with the Oklahoma tragedy From all ac-
counts, and there are many, there are sew
eral times more people rushing into this
land than there is room for them to peace
ably possess. AS consequence there must
he a long and bitter conflict; and, moreover,
the weaker elements will be trampled into
the dust by the swift rush of the stronger
Nor is this all there is to be feared. All
about the limited area Of Oklahoma there
are Indian tribes, some sem.civilized, like
the Greeks, and some yet in their original
condition, blanket wearing, and dependent
upon the government for their supplies. 1t
is certain that the ambitious and over
crowded whites in their midst will be un.
easy within their narrew bounds, and will
be forced by internal pressure to expand
over the territorial lines. This will be re.
be raids, retaliation and massacre.
There is still further cause of apprehen-
sion as to the future of the new colony. II
is a region of extremes, of tempature, soil
products II is sometimes hot and scorch-
ing To an intolerable degree, and in an hour
the thermometer may drop 80 degrees. The
rivers are cratic, now gliding calmly along
in the sunshine-yonder in the shade, then
pouring over their banks In tremendous
floods. which overflow the adjacent coun
try and destroy everything they encounter
The rush now pouring into Oklahoma is
enormous. People are rushing there as to
newly discovered gold field and the re.
suit will be aboutthe same. The greater mum.
Der will be bitterly disappointed and will
recover from their lunacy too late. Even il
there were land enough for all who art
seeking II a large proportion of it is of little
value and some is absolutely worthless. A
comparative few get good land, but peace
able possession of those prizes in the Okla
homa lottery will most likely not be Sc
cured until blood is she'd Disputes as tc
the rights of possession are inevitable and
in the absence of proper legal authority tc
decide promptly and OF power to enforce
their decision, the knife, revolver and rife
will be called into play to settle the con.
troversy-bloody encounters are already re.
ported and a succession Of tragedies may
now be expected
From any standpoint the outlook for the
new territory is full of peril There cannot
but be immense suffering even at the very
start-for even now II is before the people
that many of those who have locked to this
new "EldSrado" are destitute Things are
not as they appeared at first and the sharp
ers and spectators are driving matters to
their interest independent of every former
impulse Of human nature.