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


Below is an extract from speech
delivered the 4th of July at Pur.
cell by Hon. Frank McMaster on
the subject of statehood for the In
dian Territory:
"The object Of this statehood
movement needs neither apology
nor disguise. 1t means the total
overthrow and extinction of every
vostige of the present shameless
and worthless governments of the
five nations. White men will con-
troll them in the future and state
hood means white control to.mor-
row. This will extinguish no In
dian right nor violate any treaty
faith. Indian government has
never existed. 1t has been an
absurd travesty, advancing no gen.
eral interest and benefitting no
tribe as people. 1t will not
place the tribes in any state, but
will give them a state of their own
territory.
Statehood does not seek to dis
turb a property right of the hum.
blest Indian. 1t asks only that
each shall receive his just proper
ton Of the national lands and prop
erty as his individual possessions.
No small allotment with the re-
mainder sold to the federal govern.
ment at a small price, but the
assignment to him individually Of
his exact pro rata part of the entire
acreage of his tribe.
Government supervision is lag.
gard, but, nevertheless, a certain
robbery. All governments are ex-
cuses for the existence of official
appetites The Indians have rea-
son to know and the ability to re.
member this from experience.
They should of and by themselves
divide their lands, and do it now
before the allotment appetite can
reach them. With their lands di-
vided they should become citizens
Of the United States and drop the
humbuggery e tribal governments.
The law which is good enough
for white man is good enough for
an Indian. The statehood which
will give security to white lives
and property will protect Indian
rights as well. The coming state
should make citizenship of the In
dian compulsory. In some locali-
ties and in some counties he would
have absolute control, and in the
state he would have every oppor-
tunity to till its highest positions.
The dread that Oklahoma would
control the Indian Territory is a
fiction-a weakly scarecrow raised
in the presidential mansions of the
five tribes. The Chickasaw nation
alone has to-day a greater popula-
tion than all of Oklahoma. II has
more railroads now, a greater nat
ural wealth and a broader highway
to prosperity than the little terri
tory on the north, and represents
only $500 Indians, fairly civilized
and thoroughly permeated with
white blood, as against over 10000
OF the widest remaining Indians
domiciled in Oklahoma. Which
locality, the Chickasaw nation or
Oklahoma, is the actual Indian
territory? In which has the In
dian the better guarded rights to.
day and the greatest promise OF
preierment in the future? Nor
does even this statement present
the view fairly. If treaties now
being discussed shall reach a sue.
cessiul conclusion Oklahoma will
have more Indian population than
the Cherokee nation, and more
than al. the other nations com.
bined. As a state she can make
them citizens; as territory she is
powerless for their good, unable to
assist in their elevation, and dis
regarded by federal officials in rec
concentrations for their benefit.
Within the boundaries of the
original Indian Territory are fully
a half million OF inhabitants, and
within a year from the date Of her
admission half million more
would Join them. No territory ever
presented so large a population to
congress for admission, and no
territory ever displayed grander
territorial possibilities in wealth OI
soil or mineral resources. And no
territory ever presented 80 great a
need for the governing arm OF state
hood. The imaginary lines OF lit.
tie Indian kingdoms, the problem
atical dangers Of conflict between
the diverse and ill-lashioned inter
ests congress has created, the ne
cessities Of a greater freedom ofin.
tercourse and the destruction OF
local antagonisms require state.
hood as the only possible method
OF creating benefits for all and
avoiding dangerous conflicts In the
future. Statehood is inevitable and
will surely come, but its greatest
benefits will be soonest reached by
the concerted action Of Oklahoma
and the Five Nations.
A constitutional convection In
which both shall unite would max Q
US a state before the new year and
create the grandest commonwealth
OF the federal union, Nature has