Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-03-26

it states that
"Whereas, il (THE CHIEFrA1N)
has given publication to slanderous
and false publications when il had
the means of asceItaining the facts
in the premises to wit: Paul J..
Davidson, President Of the Arkan-
sas State Alliance writes that he
has no organizers at work in the
Indian Territory, but recognizes IL
as separate jurisdiction-this
mekes it look worse for the wild
cats. +"
To controvert this statement il
is only necessary to reproduce Mr..
Davidson's letter, which wo do
herewith:
From the ofice OF Paul 4. Davidson. Presi-
dent \. A. al. u, of Arkansas
HOLLYWOOD, AJAX, March 8, 1891.
JAS. p. THOMPSON, Alton, |. T.;
DEAR SIR AND BRO: Il have
Just received a letter from L. L..
Polk. Enclosed l find your letter
TO him stating that one Howard
was organizing unions, or lodges,
claiming to have authority from
the state of Arkansas. l do not
know what the Farmers Laborers
union did up to Feb. II, 1891, as l
know nothing about that orgauiza-
tion up to that date. But one
thing | do know is that he has no
commission from the Farmers AL
lance of Arkansas. He has got
no authority from the consolidated
organization and | know he will
not get any. We claim no juris-
diction, beyond our border and
will not attempt to take any.
When l can serve you command
me. Yours Fraternally,
PAUL 7. DAVIDSON,
President f. A. and 1. U. of Ark.
AS to the wild cats" reference
was had to the clandestine unions,
so termed, organized by Frank
Howard. Here is another:
"Whereas, we have been wrong
fully accused of trying to organize
a State for the purpose of tying
the order into bundle and turning
it over to whomsoever we please,
fact THE CHIEFTAIN well knows
to be impossible" !"
1t has never been supposed that
Tahlequah sub-union was trying
to organize i estate" for any pur-
pose and the use of the word eve"
in the first line gives the resolu-
tions a very strong appearance of
having been gotten up by other
parties and sent to Tahlequah for
adoption. Was this not the case
brothers? Another section:
"Whereas, The CHIEFTAIN failed
to have it organized on the lines
laid down by itself, and bundled
and labeled Third Ticket is
due to its present objections"
This paragraph gives doubtful
aspect to the whole proceeding.
THE CHIEFTAIN has never yet lent
aid, counsel or comfort 10 the
"third party movement" but on
the contrary has opposed any at
tempts to cover the alliance into
that fold. Ii has done this be-
cause it recognized the fact that a
great proportion Of the member
ship was allied to one or the other
of the old parties and that a move
ment of this kind would not only
bring confusion but would brand
the order as a political, third par
ty scheme, and impair its useful
ness for all time.
In consideration of the provoca-
ton set forth above Tahlequah AL
lance condemns The CHIEFTAIN
for "utterances unbecoming an
alliance sheet" and calls upon
the temporary president of "Chero.
kee state alliance" to issue a proc
lamatIon TO the various county
alliances to adopt resolutions Of
similar import. This is certainly
one of the most unusual and un-
reasonable propositions ever ad-
vanced by a deliberative body.
The idea of a superior officer COM
manding the people to adopt a
a certain line of thought is alb
surdly preposterous and was not
to have been expected from any
source, save possibly "the Chero-
kee State Alliance" Of Feb. 18th.
Resolutions are supposed to be
the spontaneous outburst of the
peoples ideas and not "cut and
dried" lot Of clap-trap gotten up
to order and crammed down the
necks Of the people as corn is
crammed down tie neck Of a
Christmas goose. One of the
chief missions of the Alliance is to
educate the people to think and
act for themselves-to masticate
the various propositions advanced
for their injury, benefit or en-
lightenment and not to get their in
formation through a funnel, as
Tahlequah union suggests.
The Temporary president" is
also requested as chairman OF the
judiciary committee TO enter into
contract with some other paper
"more decent and less hostile" to
the order.
The resolutions are signed by j.
t. Cunningham as president and
Connell Rogers as secretary of
Tahlequah sub-union-two pro-
nounced Mayes men. As the
Temporary president of the
Cherokee state alliance" is bitterly
opposed to Mr.. Mayes, there seems
a prospect for disappointment in
the family after all. We wait de-
velopments.
The CHIEFTAIN and the order
generally would ofcourse like to see
Cherokee state alliance formed
but it must be done in reasonable