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

week the chief was engaged in de-
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 ircrease in the
amount received as interest on the
invested funds, there is 4 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 10 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 500 600 had
the last payment been made by
the Cherokee Strip Live Stock As
sociatiOn. which was due July 1st
last. The association refused tO
make the payment on account Oi
the order OF President Harrison
for their removal flom the strip.
/ The association is more than will
ling to make the payment If still
allowed TO occupy and enjoy these
lands. 1t is an unreasonable hard
ship on the CherOkees to he thus
deprived of a revenue of $780, ,000
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 ol
the Arkansas river, of which IS, 75O
was retained by the treasurer as a
per cent. for receiving a part oi
this fund-s43, 750-and the Sc, 25O
given to me by the association as
a part of said fund to make the
500, 900 per annum complete, con-
stiluie the SIS, 600 and would have
made a decent sum to pay national
warrants that are to-day selling at
a discount.
l had a proposition made to the
Attorney General of the United
States to which he agreed to submit
a 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 felt and we cannot afford
TO surrender il withOu. q struggle
10 recover the same.
The allowance for right of way,
deposited by several railroads
traversing the nation, was alluded
to with the suggestion that if
thought prudent It might be cover
ed into the treasury, the supreme
court having sustained the ''em-
ineHt domain theory, as against
/ the nations claim
The revenue provision of the
hay law being evaded in many in
stances, il is recommended that
provision be made by which the
collection of this tax shall be made
certain.
The remnants OF the walnut
timbar, (stumps and limbs) would
WELD 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 II is recon-
mended that a national revenue
officer be provided for, as BY a
careful handling Of our resources a
sum sufficient TO meet largely the
expenses Of government could he
realized. At present our affairs in
this direction are very poorly
managed and yield but a pitiful
sum.
Council is urged to try and OBJ
tain from the government the sum
of SIS, 900 received by w 2. Ross
and Riley Keys in 1863 for the
subsistence of destitute loyal Cher
okees. which was taken at the
time from the ChOctaw funds and
By late act of congress restored
from the Cherokee.
The proposition for the national
council to sell these lands (the
outletl was something entirely out
Of the line OF policy Of the United
States government in its dealings
heretofore with the Cherokee na-
ton and contrary TO the Usages
and laws Of the same. The many
million Of acres of land heretofore
sold TO the government by the ma
ton at different times, has been
done only bv treaty, ratified BY
the people. The national council
has never assumed the sole right
Of disposing of lands belonging TO
the Cherokee people
The treaty of 1866 was a result
of the civil war. and forced upon
this nation as an alternative for
something worse. The CherOkees
submitted to and ratified IL, where
by an agreement was made for the
sale of the Cherokee lands west of
ninety-six for the settlement of
friendly Indians. But this idea has
long since been abandoned 0y the
United States government The
original intention TO reserve the
entire Indian Territory for the In
dians, as first inaugurated by such
men as Jefferson and Jackson, was
still provided for in the treaty of
1866, and carried out in good faith
by that great man General Grant.
at the close Of the late war. But
this faith was broken and violated
in the organization of the Territory
Of Oklahoma in the midst OF the
Indian country. Under these cir