Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-06-18
WRITE HIM DOWN AN ASS. "

ISAAC MoDE.
WRITE HIM DOWN AN ASS. "
EDITOR CHIEFTA1N I'll have ref
erence to the party whose letter,
written at Tahlequah. and dated
May 26th, was published in the
Sentinel and copied in the Vinita
World of the Both. The writer,
like all Office holders, gives his
reasons in a rambling sort Of a way &.
which are lame IN the extreme,
why allotment should be deferred,
etc. TO my way of thinking it has
been deferred too long already,
and my opinions will be indorsed
by most all intelligent, thinking
people Of the nation, and in order
to illustrate | will copy from The
CHIEFTAIN of May 2Sth "There
are about 4,SSS 900 acres of land
in the Cherokee nation proper,
leaving out the strip, and 25, 700
citizens. Out of this must come
the rivers, swamps, lakes and water
courses of all kinds, roads, worth.
less hills and poor land that have
no "Ilue whatever, which would
hot be much less than one-half the
entire area. This would leave
SIP acres for each individual. The
chief proposes to allow all citizens
two farms of $40 acres each, making
| $50 acres" Admitting this state
ment to be in a degree incorrect,
il is near enough to prove the
necessity of allotting at once and
not doferring any longer.
But the writer is in a great
quandary how to adjust matters.
He is evidently afraid that the
adopted citizens will come i'm for a
share. although he admits they
have all the rights of native Chero-
KEGS, according to treaties. He
also admits they have been cheated
OF those rights, still he thinks
when a final trial comes judgment
will be rendered in their favor.
Moral 1T is hard to kick
against the pricks."
He seems puzzled what to do
with those citizens, in case of al
lotment, who have taken up more
land than they are or would be
entitled to hold, as he thinks the
nation would have to pay them for
stealing what did not belong 10
them. No doubt his mind ID
clouded, as it is evident he is one
who would compound a felony.
For my part would suggest that
they pay for the use of the land
they have used and through their
greed have kept others from using
but as there are none so blind as
those who refuse to see,' il is Oi
no use trying to enlighten such as
he, as he does not like my letters
on allotment. 1 have no apology
to offer. 1t may be | have resur'
rected one of the old Committee
of Safety" who years ago ordered
me and others out of the country
because we had the courage ther
to advocate allotment, which il
done at that TINS would have set
tied all those questions that EN-
barrass his mind now, besides
giving him double the quantity o.
land that he would now get anC
the longer it is deferred it will ge
beautifully less .and more compli'
Gated. But he, like old " Soggy,
has an idea that a white adopted
citizen has no right to express him
self on such subjects and ought tC
be content if allowed to live anC
vote as they suggest. They may
think, if not too loud, which re
minds me ofreading in one OF Capt
Marryatrs works of the rigid dis
cipline that was once in the British
navy, when it Yas-as eeeeiiiamefI oc
II-crrrerc5 for seamen to be tried fol
silent mutiny, if they only looked
sulien. But in this age of civiliza
tion, with a free press, orc car
gives his views on any subject
that is if he does not defame those
he refers to in his writings, or dis
agrees with in matters of opinion
but when q fellow undertakes tc
slander another party and hides
behind nom de plume il proves
he is a coward and a WORTHLESS
character. and not worthy Of re
cognition.
! II is therefore idle to waste tim'
upon the effusions Of a man of thu
! character it is like throwing boot
Jacks in the dark to still the sing
! ing OF the cats. A crying evil o
the day Is tie anonymous CORES
pondence in newspapers. Tn
! writer who refuses the use of hi
name loses all credit for good in
tent and the paper allowing it
columns to anonymous slander
osregards a plain ainenity Of jour
lism. hence the bill now beior
Ike legislatures TO make It vic
l,tiNp OF law.
Respectfully,
Ton HOWE.