Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-11-19

/ flBhlrf Wnht steps are necessary
to be taken in order that their hap,
piness may be secured, their ex.
stence as distinct people rec
ognized, and their introduction
among the civilized people of the
world duly acknowledged and re-
spected2 They must either adj
vance or recede--there is no sta
tionery existence for them m-sur-
rounded by the invading currents
of civilization and progress they
must move forward with those cur
rents or be engulfed beneath In
dian laws and customs have OBJ
tanned and sought to be enforced
without taking into account the
fact that the Indian blood has be-
come diluted. In the Cherokee
nation for instance, it is said there
are not more than twelve or four
teen families of pure Indian blood.
lntermarriage with whites has
changed the people and modified
their tastes and aspirations; and
yet there has not been a cores.
ponding adaptation Of laws and
treatment by the United States.
The diluted Indian has been treat
ed as full blood when he is more
white than red
1t is the Indian blood that in
herits hence the white man has
sought an alliance with Indian
women which has secured to him
and his children the rights of the
Indian. This grating Of races has
bourne its natural fruit, and it is
with this fruit, and not the original
Indian, that the United States has
to deal This should be bourne in
mind continually in dealing with
this people.
The missionary has done his
work and done it thoroughly; so
thoroughly indeed that there is a
religious sentiment prevailing in
the five nations, and especially
among the Cherokees. far in adj
vance of what prevails in the states
In education the Cherokees show
a higher per cent. Of those able to
read and write then can be shown
by any of the states. Some two
or three years ago the agent of the
National Indian Defence Assoca-
tion stated that there was not then
single Indian in the Cherokee
nation, OF either sex, over fifteen
years OF age, who could not read or
write.
The policy of the United States
has been in the interest OF religion
and education, and from diversion
from hunting and fishing to agricul-
ture and stock raising. The In.
dian has been taught to consider
that in abandoning the forest and
the stream for game his only re-
sort is agriculture Anxious to
hold and control his land he has
made laws under the sanction Of the
United States to prevent intrusion
upon his domain, and adopted a
system Of permits which has filed
or is filling the territory with a
population having no rights as
citizens, and whose presence is a
menance to the integrity of the
nation in which they reside
This policy must be changed.
No people can advance to the
highest degree of civilization upon
a single plane OF advancement.
There must be a diversity of pur-
suits in order to create, stimulate
and encourage a diversity Of tastes
A population exclusively tillors OF
the soil, or cattle raisors will not
exhibit the brightest blossoms of
civilization. Mechanical and man.
ufacturlng industries must be
mixed with these other and more
primative industries in order to
secure the highest condition OF ex-
istence. The government recog-
nizing this necessity mas in eoutem-
plation the establishment Of me-
chanical school at the abandoned
FIT. Gibson, as is announced in late
papers. In our judgment better
plan than this can be adopted.
For its full development the Ia
dian Territory requires population
and capital, and for the rank and
file Of the people, the cultivation
of that thrifty virtue known as ac.
quisitiveness. The adopted citizen
and half breed possess that already;
the great majority Of the natives
do not. But the Indian must learn
to accumulate money and property
like white people if he expects 70
march in line with other civilized
people.
Let him then adopt a policy
more liberal toward the outside
world, and remove to a certain ex-
tent the restrictions now resting
upon the 'intruders. Let him /
be localized; let some arrangement |
be made between the several tribes /
of the five nations and the govern
ment Of the United State, by which |
free cities may be established in |
each OF the five nations, in which /
any person, white, red or black, /
may locate, hold, sell and convey /
in fee simple the land contained /
therein, and puTsue whatever bus
mess he desires. Let the United /
States, with consent Of the tribes. |
set apart, say one township, six /
miles square in each of the five
nations, and place it under a mu. /
nieipal organisation with n mayor /
appointed by the president /
of the United States, and council /
elected by the adult male citizens |
thereof In this way any person |
desiring to purchase a lot could do /
so, build him a home and com.
mence business, and could partic. |
ipate in the government of the city. /
Such a municipality established /