Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-01-28
LAw-BREAKING IN INDIAN
TERRITORY.

LAW-BREAKING IN INDIAN
TERRITORY.
The Saloon Business and Some
of it's Consequences.
woRcEsrKn AcApENr, vISrrA. Jan. go. 's2.
To THE EDITOR, DEAR SIR
There is a matter agitating the
breasts of several of our citizens
to-day which has ITS bearings in
the past and in the future as well
as in the present All candid men
will 'dmit-all sensible men must
adAiL-that considerations of the
past and future may infinitely out
weigh all considerations of present
expediency and comfort. Here
again, we are in danger cf being
met with the objection that con-
siderations as to future political
conditions and actions (for this
matter has political bearings) are,
as a rule, visionary that a man nr
party who sacrifices present po-
l,tical standing, depending on
future contingency is either harm.
lessly rainbow. chasing or else has
gone mad. The answer to this is
that nothing is easier to one who
has learned the lesson of political
history than tn foretell the result
of political questions after the in
terest in them extends over the
whole country and they have be-
come concrete and definite. The
prediction was made (there are
citizens in Ninita who know who
made iD after the election of Pres
ident Harrison, that free trade was
sure To win. Three years end
half have passed; reciprocity holds
a secure and growing importance
as a policy of Mr. Harrison's party;
with reciprocity I'm the republican
platform and revenue tariff in the
democratic in this year of grace,
1892, whatever may be the inter
est of parties, it would seem that
the interests of free trade are Sc
cure and the prediction that tar.
ifs could not stand in the light Of
an advancing civilization is pretty
well verified. Germany and the
United States, the leading tariff
powers in Christend0m (there is
nothing but tariff outside Chris
tendom) are running to overtake
the free trade procession.
Again in 1890 the demand for
free coinage grew to such dimen.
sions that many sober men were
taken of their feet A prediction
was llade and pooh -poohed. 1t
was to the effect that whatever
measures were adopted to secure
larger volume of currency, the
evils Of a double standard would |
be avoided, even if free coinage
were Obliged to wait. The cry |
was, TO Hades with parity; we
want free coinage and are going to I.
get IT." Does the unshakable I
leadership of Cleveland show that .
his party will make that an issue /
From 1892 to 1896 free coin age is
sure to Sleep unless some interna.
tional agreement establishes par I
ity; at any rate the best friends of
free coinage must see that the /
complexion of things does not en-
courage the belief that their pet /
policy is imminent, and since they !
must wait, they ought to DE and I
will be willing to wait until there
is a safe way TO give them what
they want.
So it might be predicted in re-
gard 10 the reform of our civil SER
vice, in regard to the Louisiana
and similar lotteries, in regard to
stock l.watering, margins and free
railroad passes; il is necessary only
TO know that the issue 10 concrete,
definite and Of interest to the whole
country to know what the result
will be; when a reform, moral or
political is urged, it is often neces-
sary only TO survey the field and
see what sort of men are advocat-
ing it and what sort Of men are
opposing it to tell what the ultimate
result will be.
What ought a man TO say then
when silence is qualification and
cowardice about business carried
on in defiance Of just and salutary
law, and whose only result is un-
speakable degradation to the citi-
zen, the family, and the state 2
II there 10 a man ingenious enough
to furnish a pretext for silent ac-
quiescence on the part OF men who
pretend 10 be good citizens, not to
say Christians, In the hqsinpss Of
keeping a saloon, let that pretext
be printed so that honest men may
subscribe 10 il and avoid the un-
pleasant dilemma Of being the en-.
emies of certain Of their neighbors.
OF eDemies Of just and salutary
laws framed in ksbalf OF the weak
and unfortunate. Until this pre-.
text is furnished II is not fair TO
reproach men for doing the only
thing conscience will allow them