Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1890-11-13
MAYns, ANNUAL MESSAGE.
A Summary Embracing all its
Salient Points.

livering his very lengthy message
After the Introductory passages,
the first topic considered was that
of the finances Of the nation. The
point sought TO be made was that
while there is no Increase in the
amount received as interest on the
invested funds, there is large in
crease in the cost of government,
owing to the constant increase in
population. When you make an
appropriation in excess Of the an
nuity. says the chief, it would be
we'll for you to know where the
money is coming from to pay the
same. The fund derived from the
lease Of the grazing privileges now
on hand amounts to $500, 900 and
would have been now S400, 600 had
the last payment been made by
the Cherokee Strip Live Stock As
soeiation, which was due July lst
last. The association refused to
make the payment on account OF
the order OF President Harrison
Tor their removal from the strip.
The association is more than will
ling to make the payment il still
allowed to occupy and enjoy these
lands Ii is an unreasonable hard
ship on the Cherokees to be thus
deprived Of a revenue Of $500, 600
by such an order.
The $4,000 that should have
been available at the last session
of the council that was derived
from the grazing privilege west OF
the Arkansas river, of which SS, 750
was retained by the treasurer as a
per cent. for receiving a part OF
! this fund-$43, 750-and the So, ,250
/ given to me by the association as
part of said fund to make the
$500, 900 per annum complete, con-
stitute the SIS, ,000 and would have
made a decent sum to pay national
warrants that are to-day selling at
discount.
| had a proposition made to the
Attorney General Of the United
States to which he agreed to submit
Joint resolution to congress au-
thorizing the adjudication by the
supreme court of the United
States, the question of the Chero-
kee nations right to use those
lands as it saw proper. ! am con
fident the resolution can be passed
The loss of this revenue will be
seriously ielt and we cannot afford
to surrender it without struggle
to recover the same.
The allowance for right of way
deposited by several railroad:
traversing the nation, was alluded
to with the suggestion that II
thought prudent it might be cover
ed into the treasury, the supreme
-%ourt-havrng sustained tho ZEN
inent domain theory, as against
the nation's claim.
The revenue provision of the
hay law being evaded in many in
stances, it is recommended that
provision be made by which The
collection OF this tax shall be made
certain.
The remnants of the walnut
timber, (stumps and limbs) woulc
yield quite a sum, and provision
for the sale thereof is advised.
There being SO many percent
ages taken out of all receipts by
the various officers it is recon-
mended that a national revenue
officer be provided for, as by {
careful handling of our resources
sum sufficient to meet largely tn,
expenses of government could be
realized. AT present our affairs il
this direction are very poorly
managed and yield but a pitifu
sum.
Council is urged to try and OBJ.
tain from the government the sun
of SIS, 900 received by w. Z. Rosi
and Riley Keys in 1863 for tn,
subsistence of destitute loyal Cher
okees, which was taken at th'
time from the Choctaw funds ant
by late act of congress restored
from the Cherokee.
The proposition for the national
council to sell these lands (th'
outlet) was something entirely on
of the line Of policy of the Unite,
States government in its DEALING
heretofore with the Cherokee ma
ton and contrary to the usage
and laws of the same. The man,
million of acres of land heretofor
sold to the government by the ma
ton at different times, has beel
, done only by treaty, ratified b,
the people. The national council
has never assumed the sole righ
of disposing of lands belonging t
the Cherokee people.
The treaty of 1866 was a resul
, of the civil war, and forced upo
this nation as an alternative 70
, something worse. The Cherokee
submitted TO and ratified it,where
2 by an agreement was made for tn
, sale of the Cherokee lands west {
ninety six for the settlement {
friendly Indians. But this idea ha
long since been abandoned by th
United States government. Th
5 original intention to reserve th
r entire Indian Territory for the In
e dians, as first inaugurated by sue
5 men rs Jefferson and Jackson, wa
? still provided for in the treaty {
4 1866, and carried out in good fait
t by that great man General Gran
{ at the close Of the late war. BI
this faith was broken and violate
e in the organization of the Territor
: of Oklahoma in the midst of til
e Indian country. Under these ci
o cumstances the Cherokee natio
: must consider the full and con
{ plete ownership of these lands, an
ii ever sold, it must be by a
}, means at a price equal TO its valu
j. either by a constitutional amens
; ment or by the modification Of IL
treaty OF 1866 in a manner thi