Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-12-03
rHn onnRoKnn oouNoIL
John William Browne" Sizes up
Last Weeks Work.

may not appreciate ~ rouI Wechs
Of unremiiting toll, four weeks OF
an extravagant waste of brain pow
er-and what? Nothing Of good
to the public service, A waive OF
the magician's wand and the COW
law was amended to suit two
Texas COW punehers who have
for years fattened their purses and
increased their herds at the ex-
pense of the farmers and small
stock raisers Of the Cherokee ma
ton.
Ten years ago there was as
many cattle in the Cherokee ma
ton as there is to-day; then in
herds ranging from twenty to five
hundred, they were owned by cit
izens. To-day the common citizen
is out Of the business and Texas
COW kings parcel out the range and
say where cattle may be grazed
and hay cut, and a dozen or so Of
persons in the nation calling them
selves citizens, standing for the free
hooters, monopolize the grazing
privileges, the inheritence Of the
people-one and one quarter mil
lion OF the finest grazing land un-
der the sun-and all this for a
mess Of pottage - Twenty-Five
thousand dollars in deprecated
script, and defciencyof several
thousand dollars to be COW
cred by pretended expenses. in
running twice to Caldwell, Kansas,
in a vain effort to try to bluff the
president Of the United States, and
collect a tax in a district of country
over which Mr.. Crutchfeld had
about as much jurisdiction or au-
thority as the "man in the moon"
Originally a man with a pasture
offering to Craze cattle for fixed
amount per capita, would, in set
ting up with his agent require
statement showing the number of
cattle grazed So also would one
think that the powers that be,
who are our public guardians,
would require some sort Of show
ing from its steward, and the chief
failing, there ought to be one man
at least in two branches of the leg
islature to make the inquiry and
demand this information.
1t is a lamentable state of affairs
that we find ourselves in, when a
half dozen Texas ranchers sustain
ed by few so-called citizens Of
this nation can so paraylze our
National council that neither party
dare open their mouths in the face
of this brazen impudence and
shameless robbery.
The law as it was, faithfully ex-
ecuted, would have returned a rev.
enue of twenty-five thousand dol
lars Legitimate business could
only have been done under it, and |
legitimate business would not have |
oyer-run the country with Texas
cattle, nor, as it is charged, de-
bauch the officers whose duty it
was to faithfully execute the law;
but the law as amended-well | !
have already said that it turned the |
poor devils of Cooweescoowee and |
Delaware districts, bound hand and
foot to the COW punchers Of Texas, |
and can only say that such is the
fact.
1t is vain to hope for a deliver
ance from this council, and the
people must "grin and bear it"
until another election or appeal to
their guardian for an equaliza-
ton Of benefits.
A bill from the lower house is
now before the senate attempting |
to regulate the settlement of the
public domain so as to prevent
monopoly Judge Joseph A.
Scales, of the executive office, is
credited with its authorship, and |
possibly it may reflect the views
of the chiefin that regard; be that
as it may, I don't think that when
the senate amends the council |
amendments already to it, it will
reflect any mans views. Origin
ally it was an impracticable piece
of nonsense, and its impractical
bility was intensified by the
council.
lis amuseing to see these dil-
ettqnte statesmen air themselves,
but it becomes serious when all |
are such statesmen, or worse. A
few bills making, as Hon. Jack
Cookston once said, making store
Keepers and widows" sEd you
some up the visible work of the
council the past week.
There are six appropriation bills
necessary for the proper main
tenance Of the government, none /
OF which so far are out of the hands |
of the committees. and the two
houses will have to hump them
selves if they get them through |