The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-02


TALEHQUAH. l. T. April The Cherokee
senate this morning passed the bill to reti-
fy the agreement with the government for
the sale of the strip. A substitute was
presented for the bill brought in yester-
day to ratify the strip treaty, and lmme-
diately became the subject of a heated
debate. The substitute provided that the
passage of the bilf should not be construed
TO mean acceptance of the amendment
until such acceptance should be finally I'll
ed withthe secretary Of the interior by a del
egation to be appointed by the council
who should, before the title to the Chero
kee outlet should pass in full to the fed
eral government, receive payment in ful!
in accordance with the terms of the act of
congress. Z he substitute further provided
that the secretary of the interior must
give guarantee that the intruders shall
be removed. 1t also authorized the same
delegation to negotiate the sale of the GER
tificates The bill will not reach the house
until Monday at the earliest, and final ac-
tion will not be taken until Tuesday or
Wednesday. A committee will be ap-
pointed to carry the bill to Washington
Immediately, and Congressman Peel.
who is here, says that, in his opinion, the
strip will be opened by July.
The most trying question that the Cher
Dhees will have TO settle before they get
through will be that of eligibility to share
in the distribution. The Indians want to
divide the money among only such as
have Cherokee blood in their veins, to the
exclusion or whites who have married
Into the tribe or have been adopted by it.
Their white fellow-citiZens naturally pro-
Test against this proposition, ana they
have the sympathy of their Indian rela-
lives. Were the question left to vote of
The people the whites would be barred out;
but 1t is a question of law, as well as of
upon to adjudicate it.
This is more than the Cherokees bar
gained for when they invited aliens to
come into their country. They are will
ing to let white men and black men work
and raise families, but they shall only en-
10y the fruit of their toll, and be thankful
that their wives and babies shall get a per
capita share of any money that may be
distributed. AS the Indians are both jury
and judge, and are strong enough to over
turn any court that may set its opinion
against them, it is likely that the adopted
citizens will have to be satisfied with W hat
they already have; for it is settled that the
Cherokees themselves are to determine the
question of eligibility without the aid or
Interference of the federal courts.
THE CHEROKEES AND STATEHOOD.
TAHLEQUAH. l. r.. April I-Chief Har-
ris' message to the Cherokee legislature
advising the calling of grand council of
the five civilized tribes for the purpose of
discussing matters of common interest, is
lot fully understood by many of the In
aians. The truth of the matter is that the
Cherokee leaders have become so thor
oughly alarmed oyer recent events in con-
gress that it is deemed by them absolutely
necessary for those tribes to meet and
agree upon some plan that will enable
them to more successfully combat the en-
croachmepts of the whites. The founda-
tion upon which Chief Harris bases his
reason for favoring such a move on the
part of the Cherokees arises in that por-
tion of the late act of congress wherein the
president of the United States is author
lied TO appoint commission TO treat with
the Cherokees, Creeks, Chickassws, Choc-
taws and Seminoles. and try and induce
them to take their lands in severalty and
be admitted into the Union as state with
Oklahoma. The Cherokees are far enough
advanced in civilization to know that if
this commission should be appointed and
get out here before the five tribes could
get together there might be some danger
of enc and perhaps two OF the weaker
tribes agreeing to allotment and state
hood; but if the Cherokees can hit upon
plan in advance Of the commissions ar
rival they believe, through the right kind
of preaching, that they can arrange COM
pact between the several tribes in interest
that will forever put an end TO the govern
ment's plan of organizing a new state, un-
less crisis should be reached and force
bill enacted that would bring the Indians
to time.
1t is safe to say that the Cherokees. as a
whole, are opposed to allotment as we'll as
statehood, and any commission with al
lGiment and statehood as its mission will
meet with very cool reception in visiting
the Cherokees. This is not thought To be
the case, however, with the Chickasaws and
Creeks 1t was the Creek tribe which
started the ball TO rolling, resulting in the
sale and opening of Oklahoma. and later
she preliminary steps looking 10 the pur-
3hase of the Cherokee strip. The Creeks,
unlike the Cberokees, although not so in
.elllgent as the latter, have always been
progressive TO n large degree, and instead
n being sullen and hard TO deal with,
have shown disposition TO favor the
governments ultimate plan OF opening up
the Indian Territory, and IL is believed
that If the United States offer them a
reasonably fair thing they will throw off
the old tribal form of government and as
sumo that of their white brothers. The
same thing may be said of the Chicka-
saws, who have for the past few years
been leaning toward statehood The
Choctaws and Seminoles. like the Chero-
KEGS, will remain obstinate to the last, al
lowing prejudices aud their love for Sc
cluslon 10 even remain in the way Of their
own advancement
The council has decided to not at once
act upon the suggestion of Chief Harris
calling for a general council but the mat
ter will no doubt be kept alive by agita-
tion until the non progressive element is
successful in carrying out this plan of de-
ieating the purpose ot the commission
from the United States.