Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-10-27

ana oU per cent. 10 tle Beheiai
fund. That makes so per cent. Of
her taxable wealth devoted TO
school and charitable purposes.
Can the nutmeg state boast Of hay-
ing anything like that amount OF
her taxable wealth devoted to
school purposes? She cannot The
Cherokee nation, according to her
population and wealth, mas more
invested in educational funds than
any state in the American union.
the nutmeg state not excepted.
Has the nutmeg state ever sold
any portion of her territory and
devoted the proceeds to school
purposes? No sir; she has not nor
will she ever be guilty of such an
act. That would be too much like
killing the goose that layed the
golden egg" She does far worse
thing; she raises the larger portion
of her school fund by levying a
small per cent. on her taxable
wealth. But Prof. Mccarthy
would have us sell the larger por-
tion of our territory and devote il
all to educational purposes, while
we already have larger fund for
such use than any of the surround
ing states, but he opposes the pay
ing out of this money to the people
on the ground that some might use
it to pay their honest store debts,
whilst others used it to swell the
gamblers winnings. 1t is true
that some might use 1t for the bad
purpose suggested but there are
thousands of others who would
use it TO make homes and to pur-
chase the comforts and necessaries
of life but the great reason why
this money should be paid out to
the people, per capita, is that ii is
their birthright and if paid to
them direct by the U S govern.
ment they will be sure to get every
cent due them, but if it passes into
our Golfers past experience teaches
US that it will not be paid out hon
estly and fairly. During the last
canvass both parties favored the
i payment Uf TINS money direct III
the people and woe be to that pub
lie servant who opposes it. ut is
better for him that mill stone
We're tied to his neck and he be
cast into the sea" But there are
other reasons why this money
should not be allowed TO come into
our treasury. We have no safe
vaults IN which to store it; our
treasurer could not give the neces-
sary bonds though every man in
the nation should go on them and
if he could we could not protect it
from the outlaws that intest our
country without great expense to
ourselves. 1t is entirely too much
money TO come into our possession
at once 1t will breed corruption
iii our legislation then let IL be
paid direct by the government aud
save all expense of handling and
all risk of loss. There are still
other reasons why this money
should not come into our treasury
The constitution makes our lands
and vested funds common proper
ty, while our laws make it a hang
ing otiense to sell lands to a white
man; Notwithstanding this our cor
rupt Legislators and courts, in the
name of Cherokee blood have CIV
en- away 0ii5 -iiai u ctr i;;:.5;l; a5i;;e &c &c
main to citizens of the United
States i'll the last twenty years.
They have compassed sea and land
to find a man with Cherokee blood
and when the prodigal sou is found
he is wooed and beseeched to re-
turn to his fathers house but on
his return he is not greeted with
music and dancing; there is no fat
ted calf on the iestal board; no
father goes forth to greet the long
lost son and welcome him back
with a kiss of affection, but in his
stead the wanderer is met by a
committee OF lawyers ready to sell
their country's birthright for a
mess of pottage If he has the re
quired amount the word goes back,
"On with the dance, for this, our
long lost brother is found and we
surely can afford to welcome him
back with music and dancing-at
his expense" And so our coun-
try has been filled with prodigal
sons and intruders. The last, not
having on the wedding garment,
have not been cast into outer dark
ness, as the law requires, but these
and the prodigals have monopo-
llzed the supper, while our lords
and mobiles, who made the feast,
stand off and gnash their teeth,
suck their thumbs and grin, and
endure it as best they can. But |
find have wandered in the field
OF ancient parallels to Illustrate
our condition and show the cor
ruption OF our public men In ad-
dition TO selling half of our coun
try they have spent millions OF
our public funds and we are near
a million dollars in debt o.day.
In the very treaty that effected the
sale of those lands we find pro
vision for the payment of s72S,0O0
that has been worse than squan-
dered. We also note the injustice
done the whole Cherokee people
in allowing specified number 50
acres Of land more than the bal
ance; this is an outrage and should
be an insult to the nation; but still,
it is one of the beauties of holding