The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-06

| nave Deen OrQereC, IL Is SAlQ CDaC Unere are
5000 persons subject to expulsion, many
of whom have their crops planted 1t is
| true that they might get some compensa-
tion for their crops but, with SO many
simultaneous evictions, reimbursement
under auction sales would not be adequate,
while the season is too far advanced in
that latitude to allow the raising of crops
elsewhere.
But it would be hard to choose anv sea-
son for the process which would be wholly
satisfactory to its victims. Should
autumn, for example be substituted. they
might complain that they would have no
! homes during the approaching winter:
| The present blow at lie sst cannot be called
! sudden, since it has long been threatened
and would have fallen months ago had
not the national authorities desired to pre-
vent anything like spoilation. Since the
consent and co operation of the latter have
at length been securrd, the methods re-
sorted to are, presumably, free from this
| objection.
A census bulletin published few
| months ago announced that IN the Indian
territory, living with the Indians of the
| five civilized tribes, there were no fewer
| than 107 9S7 whites or other persons, SO
that the tribal governments may well have
been ANXIOUS to secure the aid and ap-
! proval of the national authorities in eject
| ing intruders Decisions of the supreme
4 CouIt VI buc u ulbtu OtdleS Lilc
! right of the Chickasaws and Cherokees to
determine who shall be citizens, and the
Chickasaw supreme court has announced
| the qualifications of citizenship. Treaties
| with the several tribes in the Indian terri
| tory, and the statutes founded thereon,
make it the imperative duty of the United
| States government to remove allintruders.
! For many years the tribal authorities
! have frequently called upon the govern
ment for the performance of this duty, but
there have been obstacles in the way. In
the case of the Cherokees there has been a
dispute as to who should be considered in
truders In the last report of Commits
sioner Morgan their number was said to
be varlously estimated from 13, 900 to 40,
600, and more than a year ago Chief Mays
sent to the interior department list of
over 5000 alleged intruders, with request
for their removal. In the case of the
Chickasaws there is no implication on
the question of citizenship, but the very
large number of the non-citizens has made
the problem there also a difficult one.
Among the Choctaws the question is less
serious as with more than 1000 non-citi-
Zens fewer than ZOO are regarded as in
truders
We have then to start with the original
treaty stipulation that whites intruding
into the Indian territory shall be removed
by the government of the United States.
bloods whose tribal privileges are unde-
termined, some Of whom were invited to
settle in the Indian territory. Many
whites, too, have found their way thither
and have long been permitted to remain,
while many have married Indian women.
The presence at this time of so many
thousand persons of white and of negro
blood shows the degree of permissive resi-
dence that has been established and makes
summary exclusion, without proper
regard for property rights, out of the ques-
tion.
Still, As long ago as August or Septem-
Der, 1883, the government agent notified all
claimants to citizenship among the Chero
KEGS, whose claims had been rejected, to
sell their movable property and to prepare
TO quit the reservation within six months
These notices were afterward extended:
and yet, after the lapse OF two years, the
Indian commissioner found that not one of
them had made the preparations and left
the territory. This circumstance i'm
presses me-" he said, in his last report,
las an evidence of bad faith on the part of
main In the nation and reap the benefits of
the free use of the Cherokee lands (they
pay no taXes) until compelled by force to
remove The department is not called up
on to give this class of intruders any more
consideration than is due to other persons
unlawfully within the Cherokee country,
and | would recommend their removal. as
well as that of all others who are there
without authority of law"
On the Chickasaw reservation we find an
analogous trouble. Governor Byrd in
formed the interior department a few
months ago that there were $1,000 whites
there who would neither pay the permit
tax fixed upon to entitle them to residence
nor remove from the tribal limits. They
wished to enjoy the advantage of the tribal
lands held in common without paying any
thing for the privilege. Under such cir
cumstances the government can hardly
fail to perform its treaty duty to remove
intruders, especially ss it has given them
ample warning SO as to protect their rights
of person and property. 1t is possible,
however, that the presence of the troops
may be required to effect evictions in so
large population and with SO excited a
public sentiment.