Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-07-23
ALLOTMENT.

-------~-------@a~~-~-@
ALLOTMENT.
1t seem that the fountain Of youth
and replcnishing dilapidated
treasury is to be found by a great
many Of our citizens in allotment.
Taking the history Of the world,
the system Of holding land in com
mon, as has always been practiced
by the Indians. is undoubtedly the
best and most just for the masses.
Simply because we have placed
men in power that have failed to
comply with their sworn duty and
squandered our funds, is no valid
reason why we should change our
nationality. Allotment means
that we are to become full hedged
United States citizens, for when
ever we receive fee simple title
to a homestead, that moment the
United States pledges herself to
defend our right and title; then
how can she give us complete pro-
lection unless we are her citizens2
The people in the states are being
swindled worse than we are.
There are seventy men that con-
troll one-half of the wealth OF the
United States, and there are six
men in New York and Boston that
by their combined influence can
control the currency Of the United
States. Then if they can control
the currency they can control
congress. This is an age of gold.
These collassal fortunes have near
ly all been made since the war, say
in twenty years. In olden times
people obeyed the barons by force
and intimidation. That age gave
power by muscle and steel. This
age controls by n mail of gold and
brain, the latter being as merciless
as steel itself The great cry is,
we are the worst taxed people on
the face of the earth. Our taxes
or expenses for the last year, which
.was by far the greatest that has
ever been, was about $500 900,
which, counting those actually
pay the expenses of our govern.
ment at 25,000, makes tax of
twelve dollars per capita. The
government tax of the United
States was Il few cents under nine
dollars, then the state and city
taxes was considerable over that.
| have talked with several men
that owned property in the states.
One man said he owned a farm of
100 acres and had five or six milch
COWS, few hogs which he invar-
iably kept up, and four head Of
horses, and his taxes were never
less than thirty-fvo dollars. Others
have told me their taxes were even
higher than that. Some have said
to me that "a good portion of the
expenses of the general govern
ment was not paid by taxation, but
by import duties. " | will admit
that. So then, in one sense OF the
word, we really pay no tax what
ever, our torefathers paid it
for us, they denied themselves
the privilege Of living in comfort
and case, simply to perpetuate
their nationality, they could have
taken what we term, 'our invested
funds" that they received for
their old Georgia homes, and lived
it out just as the majority of our
people would do if this country
was allotted. 1t should be the aim
of every patriotic citizen, to spend
his talents so he will, if possible,
leave the rising generation in a
more prosperous and peacable con-
dition than his was. Obi the
pathos and emotion the word
home causes in every human low
ing, and God fearing breast. Under
our present system, any citizen
can have a quiet, peacable home
and not be forever harassed by the
land sharks and spectators. 1t is
true we have monopoly and gigan.
tic combines in our midst, but is
allotment the remedy. | say not,
if this country was divided up, it
would only be a lew years until
this country would suffer the same
fate as all other fatal portions of
the United States have, be owned
by few individuals. We cannot
allot and maintain Cne nationality,
for the moment we receive a deed
in fee simple to a homestead, we
can sell it to any United States
citizen we see proper. TO allot
and then defer issuing the deeds
for fifteen or twenty years would
be grander swindle on us than
ever. 1t would not increase our
simply by having the coun-
try sectionized, but there would be
money to lend on long mortgages,
so by the time the deeds were
issued, the most of the people
would have sold their places for
mere song, tor they would borrow
money if they could. We are no
better or more intelligent than peo-
pie in the states, they borrow
money ml their homes, thinking
they will soon be able to pay it
back. but nine out of every ten
never dn and fheir hames are sold