Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-06-24
Willy CHEROKEES.
Their Annual Midsummer Pc.
liticaI Campaign Well On.
THE CANDIDATE FOR CHIEF.
Hon. Dennis W. Bushyhead viii Probably
Win on an Allotment Platform.
Further Particulars of the Conspiracy to
Fill the Strip With Long-Rorns
and Indefinitely Delay
Its Settlement
THE CANDIDATE FOR CHIEF.
The Cherokees Have an Issue.

Special to the Gazette.
TAHLEQUAH. l. T.. June 23-Never in
the history of the Cherokee Nation was
there so much intense and exciting inter-
est taken in political matters as is being
manifested in this nation at present. The
CherokeeS are in the midst of a red-hot
campaign. The election of chief or gov
ernor and members of a council or legisla-
ture takes place the first Monday in Au-
gust next. There are three organized po-
litical parties of about equal strength, the
Liberal party, the National party and the
Downing party. Each respective party has
nominated candidate for chief and each
party is exerting every method to elect its
standard-bearer. The Liberals have chosen
Hon. Dennis W. Bushyhead as their candi-
date; the Nationals, Hon. George W.
Benge. and the Downings propose to re-
elect Hon. J. B. Mayes to the executive
chair. Bushyhead will probably be elected.
He is no doubt the most able Cherokee Of
his day and the shrewdest politician of the
three candidates. He has served two terms
before as chief and has been frequently
commissioned a delegate to Washington by
his people. He has also served his people
as treasurer of this nation two terms.
Bushyhead is half-blood Cherokee and
speaks both the English and Cherokee Ian
guage, which
GIVES HIM BIG ADVANTAGE
over his opponents in his electioneering du-
ties, as neither of the opposing candidates
can speak the Cherokee language. He is
now in the prime of life. is about fifty years
of age and enjoying the best of health. He
is an eloquent speaker and good scholar.
He left the old nation in Georgia during the
California gold fever when young man
and went to California, where he married a
Miss Butler, cousin to Senator Ben But
Ter, and returned to this Nation about 1870.
After permanently locating here he plunged
into the politics of the country and has
grown rich off the public crib. He lives in
a Queen Anne cottage and owns several
good farms. He is a statesman and finan-
cier. He is the only one of the three can
didates who favors the breaking up of the
tribal relations and the allotment of the In
dian lands. The allotment question is
THE FIRST AND ONLY ISSUE
the Cherokees have ever had in their CAM
paigns Heretofore the 'loaves and
fishes were the only incentive to control
the government reins. But Bushyhead, as
one of the most advanced thinkers and pro-
gressive men of the Cherokee tribe, has
discerned the handwriting on the WALL
has stepped forth on an allotment platform
and says it is the nations only salvation.
His plan is in favor, as general rule, with
the Cherokees and will win. Both Mayes
and Benge stubbornly oppose this measure
and say that their people are not ready to
allot their land and live as the ptle-faceS
do.
Mayes as chief has been dismal fail
ure. He has been in the executive Office
but a little over three years and has
brought the Cherokees almost to bank
ruptcy. He has stubbornly opposed sale
to the government of the Cherokee Strip,
and has figured conspicuously as member
of the cattle association. This alone will
prove his defeat for chief
AT THE APPROACHING ELECTION.
As general rule the Cherokees favor
sale of the Strip to the United States govern
ment at 81 25 per acre. The Cherokee COM
missions failure to purchase this land last
year is almost wholly due to Mayes' opposi-
ton to sale. Mayes is a full-fedged
member of the Cherokee Strip livestock as
ISOLATION. Last month there was a meeting
held at Arkansas City, Kan, between the
chief and the cattle baronS, and arrange
ments were perfected to take possession of
the Strip and cover the best portion of it
with Cherokee and Texas longhorns. Ed
Hewins and others of the cattle syndicate
are thought to be in the combine with
Mayes to hold the Strip. Their plan is to
establish headquarters at Willows, ship
cattle from Texas, consigned to certain
Cherokees, who will hold the cattle on the
Strip, and if Uncle Sam attempts to inter-
fere get an Injunction and hold the United
States government up. By getting into the
courts they expect to hold possession
FOR FIVE YEARS AT LEAST.
Contracts have already been let to fence
a portion of the Strip, to be used as yards
for the horses used in herding. Thousands
of cattle now on the Strip. ostensibly for
grazing on the Usage reservation, are to be
held where they are in charge of this COM
hine.
2 Another feature of this syndicate is the
colonization of the eastern portion Of the
Strip next spring by the Cherokees, who, it