Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-07-20

is it honest to ourselves nor our
fellow men to contentedly rest up
on the fallacious supposition that
because the title OF the Indian
lands is vested in the Indian ma.
tions no effort of the United States
can change this tenure. The bet
ter plan is to face the issue fairly
and squarely, and by being fore
warned prepare to meet the future,
whether for veal or woe. The
events of to-day in Indian as in
other matters, are but modified or
exaggerated repetitions Of the his
tory OF the years gone before.
One year ago the Cherokee peo-
pie were so strongly convinced Of
their absolute title to the "outlet"
that they felt the United States
could never interfere in its control
or disposition. To-day we are con-
fronted with the fact that the
United States cajoled and coerced
the Cherokee council into selling
the "outlet" upon a credit, and
though their lands have passed
from their possession, the Chero-
KEGS have not, nor do | think ever
will, witness the complete fulfill
ing OF the various promises made
to them by the United States as
compensation for the sale. Il goes
without saying, disgraceful though
1t be, that the promises of the
United States in Indian matters
are generally made to be afterward
broken. The United States keeps
the pledges of their Indian treaties
only to that extent which fails to
carry out the benifcent purposes
thereof. For some years the finan-
cial matters between the Indians
and the United States have been
absolutely controlled by a strong
and powerful "lobby" at Wash
ington, or as is sometimes said.
"the third house of congress. 1t
has become impossible for the In
dians to obtain protection from
congress without the expenditure
of large sums of money annually.
Within a few years the Indians of
the five tribes have had to pay
millions of dollars in this way.
For instance, the Choctaw met
proceeds" claim as appropriated
was nearly s3,000,OO0, out of which
over two millions of dollars were
taken before those for whom ap.
propriated could obtain even the
pittance which was left. Five
hundred thousand dollars was
taken from the Creek and Semi
mole funds of 1889 for the same
purpose, over sixty thousand has
been or soon is to be taken from
the Delaware moneys, and nearly
one million has already been taken
from the Choctaw and Chickasaw
moneys Of 1893, and yet the peo-
pie have not received a dollar.
Congress took ninety five thousand
dollars from the Cherokee moneys
in 1888 to pay the Cherokee freed
men ct ais, and is now withhold
ing two hundred and fifty thous.
and dollars to reward alleged
''intruders" for locating on Cher
okee soil, and some two million
dollars more from the proceeds of
the "outlet' sale to settle the
claims Of the freedmen, ct ais.
Any railroad or other corpora
ton with the lobby" at its back
continues to secure from congress
authority to enter upon and appro.
pirate to its use the lands of these
five nations.
The several nations annually ex-
pend hundreds of thousands of
dollars Of the moneys of their peo-
pie to keep up tribal organization.
There is thus imposed an indirect
per capita tax upon each individ-
ual, whose inequality and enor-
nifty is not fully known to the
common people. In my judgment
this tax will average at least $50
per annum for every family of five
persons, or at the per capita rate
OF SO for each and every individ-
ual Indian in the territory. This
too, whether the individual is the
sole owner Of a "pessel.tailed
pony" or one whose cattle range
upon a hundred thousand acres.
Thus the per cent. tax is heaviest
upon those less able to bear the
burden.
The exclusive right of these In
dian nations to self-government
der their laws, has ceased to exist
except in theory, and the Indian
laws Of to-day are often but a men.
ace to the liberties and the rights
OF the people. Not one of the In.
dian governments of to day is ef.
fective in the prevention Of or pun.
ishment for crimes, nor sufficient
to defend the rights Of its citizens.
The gradual assumption Of judi.
cial power by the Federal govern.
ment has left the Indian courts al
most without jurisdiction.
The continued interference OF
the United States authorities in
the behalf of so called claimants
to citizenship-that waste horde
whom the Indians allege are after
their lands and moneys-may be,
as has been charged, a stain upon
the honor and integrity of the
United States, but it is also and
more a practical indication of the
determination of the general gov
ernment to so enbarass these In,
dian nations as to bring about q
change in their affairs. More than
ten thousand of these claimant,
to the rights OF Indian citizenship
are now clamoring for an equal di
vision OF Indian moneys and land,
and this already large number i.
daily added to by new arrivals.