Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1893-03-16
THE PER CAPITA PAYMENT.
in The Way of an I'm
mediate Payment.
{ COMMUNICATED

NINlTA, L. l., Marcn ii, 1910.
Now that congress has signified
its willingness to take the Strip
upon conditions fixed by itself, and
Chief Harris, anticipating public
sentiment, has declared himself in
favor of the acceptance of the prop.
osition by the government, it would
be waste of both time and talent
to rangle over the sufliciency or in
suiliciency of the price we are to
receive for the finest estate of its
size upon the habitable globe, the
attractive virtues of which as a
landed property alone compelled
bid of thirty millions of dollars.
Our helplessness compels us to ac.
cept the proposition of the govern.
ment, and now nothing remains to
be done but certain perfunctory
proceedings on the part of the
Cherokees, and the Strip in law
will part from our hands and the
consideration at the pleasure of the
government, will be delivered.
This consideration, as the informa-
ton goes, is to be 1886, 1856 u,
coupled with certain performances
on the part of the government in
relation to intruders and the 10Th
article OF the treaty of 1866, to be
done.
The money part of the consider.
alton being the only tangable and
probable realization at the present
time, and seemingly uppermost in
the minds of all, particularly so
of the two extremes, the unscrup-
ulous sharper and rustler who ex-
poets to skin his neighbor, and the
indolent, good for nothing who
never had nor expects to have any
good thing except as a windfall,
the great question is how are we
to get hold of the money? The
available cash appropriation is
$3.50 with the odd hundreds
added, sum barely sufficient to
cover the expenses provided in the
settlement with the intruders. 1t
is a pity that we are not all in
truders, for in that case We could
have had all the money. The ball
ance of IS, 300, 900 is to be paid in
five equal annual installments with
interest at 4 per cent. per annum,
beginning on the day the Cher
okees formally accept the PROPOSE
ton. The annual installments
beginning in 1895, will be 81 $50,
900 and accrued interest on the
whole; the last installment will
be due in A. D., 1900. OF the
amount agreed to be paid the in
terest as it becomes due is appro-
priated.
Now should the national coun-
Gil decide to pay the money out
per capita to the citizens of the
Cherokee nation without regard
to race, creed, color or previous
condition, these credits could be,
under the terms of the proposition
offered for sale, and in an open
market would sell at par, and as |
believe a small premium. In that
way a distribution Of funds might
be had in six months after the
conclusion of the trade. If, how
ever, the national council persists
in the policy heretofore followed in
refusing the Shawnees, Delawares
and freedmen a share in the pro-
ceeds OF the lands sold we may
never reach a payment in this gen.
Grafton that would benefit any
body but the merchant and the
huckster.
The Indian bill providing for
these payments provides also for
the retention by the government
Of sufficient sum out of the
IS, 100000 to pay these adopted
citizens there pro rata share of
the money in case the supreme
court of the United States holds
them to be Cherokees in every
sense. The aggregate of Wal
lace's count places these people at
about five thousand. That would
entitle them to reserve of 81 800,
600, with the addition Of 100000
for back dues and interest, aggre-
eating on this account 81 800, 900.
Not counting a possible contest
from the Cherokees east of the
Mississippi river, we would have
s6, 100000. Now | do not suppose
that there is a decent man OF aver
age information in the country
but looks for and expects the pu6.
lie debt to be paid and the school
fund to be increased out of this
money. To do this would require
for the school fund, $500, 900; for
the outstanding warrants, e100. 600;
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