The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-08
THE CHEROKEE INDIANS.
A Change in Present Conditions to Take
Place in the Near Future


Place in the Near Future.
CT Tor-Is Ian. IA Republic special
saws that before the end of the present
wear the Indian nations occupying the
Indian territory will have begun Jheir
final dissolution, and their memDeTs VIII
have become citizens of the United states
tribal relations will be broken mp ana the
entire country opened TO settlement.
When the rush for Oklahoma lerfluoIy
ceased. and the excitement incident TO the
o,,erirry of this new El Dorado in the heart
Of the Indian territory had died away
another great invasion into that region
vas not even dreamed Of The laIlure oI
eba Cherokee commission to bring about
negotiations with that tribe looking 10 the
opening 10 settlement % The Oherohee
strip an an early date discouraged IhoHs-
ands of bome-~eekers VINO had longed Ior
a quarter section of that rich iah9' anu
IL was believed that it would De
several wears before white settlers
yvould be enabled TO secure homes IN
any of the Indian country outside oi Ihe
territory Of Oklahoma. That me law or
UgpiZing this new territory shouiu con
tain a clause which would permit Ilie
various tribes Of Indians, acting III tioiI
individual capacity, to solve TINS ptople!ll III
md omen the doors of that vast domain 10
N
70 its trainers. and when Cher Busny-
Head OF the Cherokecs. in company with
the committee from the tribe, went 10
Wa shington i'm June, 1889 10 urge con,
.rresS TO repeal the last section ol Lhe D'ii
declaring Oklahoma territory IeW IedI-
zpd the Importance Of TINS mission OF
aven thought il necessary for change IN
tha law Bushv Head and his committee
had discovered provision IN Jhe Dlii
affecting all the Indian tribes IN the ter,
ritory which had been cleverly shipped
through by some designing person anu
which was entirely overlooked 10y senators
and members Of congress.
This section Of the Oklahoma bill reads
Is follows: THAT any member OF any
indian tribe or nation residing IN lhe lll,
3ian territory may apply TO the Cniteu
>tafes court therein. to become citizen
of the United States and such court Snall
have Jurisdiction thereof, and shall near
and determine such application as pro
zided in the statutes of the United oJaues'
and the confederated Peoria Indians re-
.iding i'm the Quapaw agency, who have
heretofore, or may hereafter, accept Cheli
land i'm severalty, under any 81
L he allotment laws OF the Onltcu
States shall be deemed to be, and are mere,
by declared to be citizens of the United
States from and after the selection oi theli
all0tments. and entitled to All the rights
privileges and benefits rs such, ana pa
rents are hereby declared from that tline
to have been. and TO be- the legal guardi
ans Of their minor children without pro
cess Of courts Provided, that the lndlah'
who become citizens of the United State'
lnder the provision of this act do not for
felt or lose rights or privileges they ENJOY
or are entitled TO as members OF the JrlDe'
3r nations to which they belong.
Under this section of the bill organizing
he TERRITORY Of Oklahoma, forty members
= the Cherokee tribe, have maze
application to Judge !. VI. Shacheiord' o
the United States district court, 10 be
lorng citizens of the United states, and 4
cceive their lands in Severalty from thelI
norton of the Cherokee strip. These ap
pications viii be heard by J .dge Shackie
sard at Ardmore the latter part OF jht
grcSect month.
Great interest centers in this action, as
Il viii virtually open the entire lndlal
territory to settlement 10y ulNldlnl
the land belonging TO the various trlPeS IL
gcveralty. permitting the individual IN
dian TO sell or dispose of all or any portoI
of his share at will Home-seekers wh'
have for many wears been anxious TO sc
Into that rich agricultural region can doa
0v purchasing land direct from lndlVldua
Indians.
The action of the forty Cherokees hrough
before Judge Shackeltord Is unquestlon
ably based on reliable information iron
Wssbinqton to the effect that the secre
tarv of the interior believes and has eN
pressed il as his opinion that the Chero
KEGS as "A tribe have no legal right TO III
Cherokee strip, and that IL may be opene'
10 settlement without regard 10 thel
claims They claim that II these re-
lands are to be opened TO settlement thel
neople should derive the benefit and hav
.n.l sv,a ,rHaI ~ haf
slnment declares they have no legal rlgh
30 them.
The Cherokee strip is considered the bes
norton Of the Indian territory. il lS aoOu
ifty miles wide, and extends along TIA
southern border of Kansas, and contain
about ,. 40. 600 acres. Their reservation u
the mort heastern portion Of the terrltor
contains ,, 90 square miles, or "el44V
acres. or a grand total of 9.244. .4Oj acres
Divided in severalty this would give eac
man. woman child of the Cherokee trib
about $50 acres Divided thus there woul
he thrown upon the market Tor sale 10 III
dividual purchasers fully two-thlrds q
This land, enough 10 provide 2o,OoO head
of families with homesteads.
Is i stated that Judge Shackeliord ha
N private conversation held that the abov
section of the oklahoma bill Is good an
will stand and that his opinion viii /
hgspd on [ q same when he hears he a.
plication Of the Cherokees at ArdmoI
khis month This fact alone has cause
members of the other tribes IN the terr
.nrv TO move in the matter OF becomln
citizens and taking their lands in Seyeralt'
However. the opinion rendered 10y Judl
Sbackelford In the case of the Cheroke,
Will amply TO all in the territory who wi,
20 avail themselves of the provisions
;he above law.
There were in the Indian Territory priC
10 the opening OF Oklahoma seventee
reservations. The Indian population
estimated at 10000
The CherokeeS number 1900; Cblckj
saws. 5000. Choctaws. 5000; Creeks, ];
DO; Quspaws 1900: Seminoles, $50
other tribes. 5000
4 conservative estimate would give eaC
nau. woman and child in the territoI
about 500 acres each. As there seems to
no doubt about Judge ShaCklefurd's dec
sion the people of he west VIII witne
during the present year another great rus
60 the Indian territory. The granting
she applications Of the forty Cherokee
will be followed by a general allotment
lands in severalty. and hundreds AZ
thousands of acres viii be put on the ma
ket. As each individual Indian will I
his own price, there will be no tresuI
with the tribes aud citizens who wish
secure home in this country can do 50
they can make n trade with their n
brother and fellow citizen.
THE HARVESTER COMBINE.
TurrAco Ian THE American Ha