The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-05-21
THE PEOPLE MUCH AGiTATED.
If the Government Carries Out Its Many Threats
the Cost will be Enormous.
How the Gaps for Rascality are Left Open
and Taken Advantage Of-Tenants
who Have Crops will Likely be
Permitted to Gather.
An Interesting Subject.


place on the subject:
JUDGE CHARLES E. MITCHELL.
late circuit judge of the Ninth Arkansas
circuit, gives his views as follows:
What is your opinion of the effort to
collect permit tax from so-called intruders
in the ChickdSaw territoryz''
Il have advised all my clients to pay the
permit tax because it is fair, and further,
the aggregate sum is an item to the tribal
government, while it is q small matter to
each individual.
''1n case of failure to pay, what steps do
you think will be taken to put them out2n
81 think the government will find it 4
very expensive job, and besides when the
matter Is understood at Washington rs it
really is, that in many instances the Indian
citizen who rents the lands has advised his
tenants not to pay the tax, and that in good
faith they have planted their crops, that
they viii be permitted TO harvest them be-
fore being forced out, but ultimately | be-
lieve the government will require an OBJ
servvance of tribal laws in this respect or
that the persons who refuse to obey them
Will be evicted from the Territory. In
short, it is best to be law-abiding and pay
what the law requires.
MR.. o. ". PATCuELL
is young lawyer of Ardmore and has
given the Indian question some attention,
and has resided in the Chickasaw Nation
for one year past. To question as to
what he thought of the movement to eject
the intruders from the Chickasaw Nation,
he replied:
II think, sir, it is mostly buster and
bluff, because if all is done that is threat
ened ii viii amount to nothing, and will
only add to the large expense the United
States government is already at to keep
order in this country"
You say it will amount to nothing. Why
sos''
We'll, if they put a man out he may
come back again, and all that can be done
about it, is to put him out again. which will
finally grow monotonous. Oh yes, the law
provides for filming an intruder who is once
removed and then returns, in the sum of
$1,000 That was done q few years ago il
the case of d. L. Payne when he was re-
moved from Oklahoma u second time. He
was taken to Fort Smith, Ark. before
Judge Parker, and a Judgment for $1,000
was entered up against him. He then
cody remarked: Well, gentlemen, you
have your Judgment, but now let US see you
get the $1,000, and walked out of court to
make new dash for Oklahoma. 1t will be
the same way here. Before they under
take putting the intruders out, they had
better get some laws enacted that will
make their work effective
DO YOU think The number, COCO, Of the
intruderS is reported corrcctiy?'
Il have no doubt but there are G000 and
more Of white men here who have not paid
permits; but of the 5000 reported as in
truders there are probably $500 who are
here under contracts with ChickaSaw citi-
Zens An intruder is one who is in this Ma
ton without lawful authority. and from
my observation think there are very few
persons here in that position. | will tell
you how many of those 5000 are situated.
They have entered into contracts TO i'm
prove lands for Indian citizens, most of
which contracts extend over long periods.
ranging, say, from ten to fifteen years.
The terms Of these contracts usually are
about rs follows: The white man is to put
in farm and make certain improvements,
that is, erect buildings, fence, clear, etc,
for the citizen, and he, the white man is to
have the free use of the land during the pc
Rod agreed upon for his trouble, and that
have said is usually ten or fifteen years
This is not called Il lease, but an improve !
ment contract. Now many of these contracts
have been running for four or five |
years, and valuable Improvements |
have been made. And, of course,
if the white man is put off as an in |
iruder the citizen viii get immediate pos
session of the improvements, which he |
would otherwise not do until their contract |
contract expires.
. Now let me show you how admit |
rably the Indian permit law is framed to |
rascality on the part of the In |
iian employer, If he should desire to take |
advantage of it. Their permit law allows |
he collectors to take permit money from |
'itizens only, and it requires the citizen to |
axe out permit for each non-citizen in his |
employ within fifteen days after the en- /!
Dloyment begins. The permits, as you per-
laps know, cost 81. OF course the Indian
,itizen looks 10 his employe to reimburse |
lin, such being a part of their contract !
y ell, now, You can see that if after |
me of these improvement con-
racts has been running few |
rears and the citizen fails or refuses TO get
permit for one in his employ that per-
on's name goes down on the roll as an in |
ruder. And if he is removed his citizen
employer will be the gamer. Now, | don't |
want to be understood as saying that all
he so-called intruders are in the position !
ust described and have rascals for land
ords. But several such cases have come
lnder my notice.
But perhaps the largest number of the
1000 are mem, are on farms of squaw men,
who belong to the Progressive party, many |
# whom have openly encouraged their en-
,loyes not to get permits, mainly for the |
purpose of irritating Governor Byrd's adj
1t is plain that things have
cached a state here for which the present
orm of the Indian government is no longer |
4
pected and many of its most important
avs are violated with impunity. As a rule. |
90, the non-ciuzens are more careful not to |
'iolate the Indian laws than the citizens.
But to sum up the ejectment question,
want TO say this: That for the greater
art of the 5000 reported as intruders they
re going at it the wrong way. If the In
ian government wants 10 collect the money
ought 10 go straight for its own citizens,
nd make them pay for all on their respect
ve lands. Then, if the non-citizen fails to
eimburse the citizen or to perform his part |
f the contract. an action of ejectment will |
10 here in the United States court, which
rould speedily settle the trouble 1t is
retty certain. / think, that if the Indian |
itizens Were made to conform strictly 10 |
heir permit law, there would be no trouble !
whatever with the non-citizens.
1T is true there may be few persons
Tho have settled down on the public do
lain without any authority from anybody,
nd they are intruders in the full |
snse of the word and l have |
OF word to say In their de- |
ense. They ought to be put out, but, as I |
ave already mentioned, they could come ]
ack again and be but little the worse for
ne excursion. ! guess that is enough for
,-day. Call again.
MR.. W. A. LEDBETTER,
prominent attorney of this place, ex-
ressed his views on the status of the Sit
alton. Mr.. Ledbetter represented the
hickasaw Nation in congress in the inter-
SITS of the bill that established United |
tates court in the Third judicial division |
the Indian Territory.
hot. ~, hot, L.