Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-02-12
oHIHF MAYEs' REPLY.
Tho New Law Better Than the
ola No Council Promised.


Cherokee Nation:
DEAR SIR;-Yoprs Of recent date
received submitting various peti.
tions Of over four hundred names
mostly non. n.citizens, under resolu-
tion adopted at Vinita, January
sth, 1891, by county meeting ol
the Farmers Alliance, Of Coowee-
scoowee district, Cherokee nation,
asking me as Chief Of the Chero-
kee nation to convene the national
council in extra session for the
purpose Of repeating an act Of the
national council approved Decem-
Der 2nd 1891, which you term
"the COW law" stating in said
petition that the law was uncon-
slitutional and that the importa-
ton Of Texas cattle at a certain
date april l5th) would produce
disease or Texas fever, and further
that it was class legislation and not
the way TO raise revenue.
In answer to your petition and
complaint ! must beg leave to diff
fer with your honorable organiza-
ton on the question Of the consti-
tutionality Of this law. Thia ques
ton seems to have been brought
with the idea that Canadian dis
triot was excluded from the op-
Grafton Of the law. In this mat
ter, in my opinion, you have
wrong impression. The terms Of
"Cherokee landsn east and west
Of the Arkansas river that has been
used continually for many years in
describing the Cherokee country
as applying only in the compari-
SON or distinction between the
strip and the Cherokee country
comprising the nine districts,
known as the Cherokee nation.
This was the intention and mean
ing of the law, and has been car
ried out with that view and appl-
cation.
Now as to the extension Of time
for the introduction of foreign cat
tie under said law, up to the 18th
Of April, as not being good quar-
antine regulation but liable to
produce fever among native cattle,
/ am truly at loss what to say as
to the facts in this matter. But, if
il is known to be a certain fact
that cattle brought into this nation
up to the 18th OF April will in any
way be the means Of destroying
our home cattle, am certainly
opposed to this part of the law
for | can fully appreciate the great
evil that would follow. Being
furmer and small stock raiser my
self, owning four or five hundred
native cattle that have grown on
my farm, and from which look to
as a resource for the maintenance
of my family, in common with
other farmers, in which respect my
interest is entirely similar TO
yours and could be actuated by no
other feeling than a mutual inter-
est in this matter. But ! will as Z
sure you that while the bill was
pending in council and after | had
received the same for my signature (
as Chief, | held il for five days for
the purpose of fully ascertaining
the facts as to whether disease
would spread or be conveyed to
native cattle by foreign cattle be- /
ing brought as late as the 18th day /
of April. The matter was fully 4
discussed by all parties who seem /
ed to know and feel a deep interest 1
in this question both in and out Of
the legislative body. | tailed to
find a single individual who OBJ I
jected to the law on that ground, I
but all seemed to unanimously .
agree that there was no danger. I
Under these circumstances | sign 4
ed the law, feeling that it was the I
best one in sight, and to-day, | I
must say that ii is much better
law than the one we have hereto
fore lived under. For many years
we have had a law on our statute /
book that prohibited the introduc-
ton of cattle, but it failed to pro- /
bibit. 1t seems that the cattle .
come any way and ! will give it I
to you as my opinion that the only /
way to regulate this matter is by I
taxation, Gmport taxi either for \
profit TO the people, or a penalty 4
to prevent their introduction at I
certain periods Of the year and let .
the matter be adjusted by court .
of Justice. The law that we have .
been operating under for many .
years wherein il made the sheriff
the judge, the jury and sheriff, to
seize and sell property without
due process Of law, has been a
source of expense, trouble and an
noyance to our government, hav-
ing cost the nation not less than
ten thousand dollars. While |
don't fully endorse the present
law as the best that can be made,
don't think it prudent at this time
to repeal il entirely as you ask, and
let this matter remain under the
old law.
If you will investigate the recent
cattle transaction of the sheriff Of
Delaware district, the late Nc
Clellan cattle case of Cooweescoo-
wee district aud the suits now
pending before the supreme court
against the Cherokee nation for
the action Of sheriffs under the old
law, you win certainly agree with
me that we have for some time
lived under worse law than the
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