Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-10-13

portionment on a small scale2 II
it is not a violation of the Consti.
tuition, and a perfectly harmless
transaction, to give John Doe q
qualified title to a lot in the town
of Tahlequah, which he can hold
as his exclusive property, without
Improvements; or residing thereon;
how can IL be regarded as an in.
fringement of the Constitution, OF
dangeaO GUS policy to give Richard
Roe 100 acre lot in Flint Dis
trict, under the same restrictions2
The monoplist defends him.
self, and applies a salve to his con-
science at the same time, by loud
ly proclaiming that every citizen
has the same right as he, and if he
does not exercise that right by
fencing in 10000 acres, it is pre-
sumed that he does not want it.
Fancy Mr.. Jay Gould kindly in
forming a poor widow, that she
has the same rights as he, and
tenderly inquiring why she don't
build railroads; or imagine An
drew Carnegie blandly request
ing her to state her reasons for
not erecting iron works2
The monopolist further de-
fends the present system, by say
ing that it has answered our pur-
poses so far, and why not perpet-
uate it, furgetful Of the fact that
the very means that sustains and
propels a community in its infan-
cy, may prove not only an imped-
iment, but positively injurious, in
another stage of its existence.
st. Paul says, ,"When l was a child,
| acted as a child, but when | be-
came a man, put away childish
things" but here is the monopo-
list insisting, that the bearded
giant should continue to play
with a rattle, and ride a stick
horsel
But fears are entertained that
under apportionment, the rich
might purchase the shares of the
poor. Well, would it not be bet
ter to allow them to sell, than to
be robbed? Again, if any per-
son, who has arrived at the age of
maturity, and is considered COM
posmentis, should sell his birth
right, for a mess of pottage, like
Esau of old, he would deserve no
sympathy or consideration, aud
should he compelled to abide by
the consequences of his folly.
But says some one, "If there is
monopoly, it is justified by the
people themselves. Very true;
but do the masses of the people
realize the magnitude of the dam
ger, and its consequences DO
they see the shadows of coming
events? The still, cold, hard
fact, that their lands are gradually
but surely slipping from their
grsp, and into the hands of law
favored aristocracy of wealth,
whose influence in few years, if
not checked in its advance, will be
more powerful than the govern
ment, and who will dictate what
the laws governing the land shall
be2
History informs US that the
Spartans were averse to all chang
es, both in their government and
their customs; yet at one period
of their history 100 of the leading
men who had become rich at the
expense of the public treasury,
possessed the whole OF the landed
property. These few Tich men
arrogantly styled themselves
"peers, and contemptuously call
ed the others "inferiors." The
latter though nominally in the en-
joyment of equal privileges, sank
into a degraded, ,discontented class,
viewing with anger the power and
wealth of the "peers." Are We
not drifting in the same direction?
That general law of human nature
is the same now, that it was 20O0
years ago, and like causes will
produce the same effect. Will
we let the history Of Sparta re-
peat itselfin ours2
W. II. DAVIS