Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-10-02

quire angelic statesmen and spec
ialists in assessing lands to grade
them satisfactorily. Here is a
spot of good. tillable land; there
poor; here rocky; there is Il
stream; one might get a thousand
acres of such land and be an ex-
ceedingly poor man. Again, this
would make all Of the divisions
of different areas, the corners
would not square up and some
farms must necessarily assume
every conceivable shape. Take a
sheet of paper, if you don't under
stand surveying, try to cut it up
into squares, all of different sizes,
and you will readily see the nl-
merous little corners and angles
that will remain. Then also there
are many small farms Of from fifty
to one hundred acres completely
surrounded; this man could not
possibly get his square in a body
without taking a slice from his
neighbor. If the preventive must
be attended with these results, il
is worse than the cure.
l have two solutions which |
think infinitely preferable to allot-
ment as discussed:
First, sell the western lands at
a reasonable price, call in our
money invested in U. S. bonds,
ailot our lands on 4 monied basis,
and tax our people for the main
tenance OF this government. Those
getting more protection should be
willing to pay more; our govern
ment would be more economically
run, we would have more efficient
officers, &c.
Second "A registration law would
prevent monopoly. Allow each
man 10 register a certain amount
for himself and each child, for ex-
ample 191 acres, and declare the
remainder public domain. No
person could then hold a dozen or
more farms; have the location de-
scribed much after the same man.
ner that transferred improvements
in deeds are located. This would
have the same effect on monopoly
that allotment would and each cit
izen could hold all of his improv,
ments. The difference is that it
would not necessiiate a survey and
the land would not be in squares.
After a time prescribed by law,
any one could go to the registers
books and see whether a tract of
land was registered or not; if not
he ssould be entitled to make
claim on it. You might say that
this would deprive many of the
use of Improvements heretofore
made. Ninety-nine cases out of
every hundred where a citizen has
more improved land than he can
in this way register, he has come
into possession of it in violation Of
our lease law, and is entitled to
no protection. This would occas-
ion little or no litigation, and in
ternal dissensions. which at pres
ent are exceedingly dangerous,
would be less liable.
The intruder question is much
easier solved. believe that our
chief should make one more ap-
peal TO the U. 5. authorities. On
their failure to act, follow the ad-
mirable example OF the Chicka-
saws: Issue a proclamation to the
sheriffs Of the various districts to
proceed with necessary force and
eject them from our limits as we
do off of a mans improvements.
If our little government must sink,
let it go under while we are glor-
iously fighting in its defense. l
voice the sentiment of this people
when l say that any number will
quit work to-day and volunteer
their services to remove these
blood-sucking intruders. Chero-
kee citizens of all parties, let's
quit wrangling, lay aside partisan
prejudice and face these pending
issues as men should.
Very truly,
W. W. HASTINGS.