The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-11
STATE FOR THE FIVE TRIBES.
OVertures to Re Made to the Red Men TO,
Home Rule Within the Anne rIcnn Union.

, OVertures TO Re Made to the Red Men 70,
Home Rule within the American Union.
WASHINGTON. June 10-One OF the important
/ subjects OF Investigation during the presen,
recess OF Congress Is to be that OF the capacity
: and willingness OF the FIVE civilized tribes oil
the Indian Territory to form n State and be
admitted into the Union. A Commission OF
three persons was provided for by Congress.
With n view to this Investigation. and also to
that Of the willingness OF these tribes. at all
/ events. to accept severalty allotments and to
! conform in other respects to tho ways OF white
men.
few years ago. It would have seem cd
| wholly premature to conduct this inquiry. The
! Indians were known to be welded to their race
| isolation. as we'll as to their system Of holding
! lands in common. One OF tho five tribes in
fact. only short time ago endeavored to dis
courage the entrance OF its members Into full
Am erican citizenship by putting restrictions in
! tribal matters upon whoever should obtain
It. The Interior Department was forced TO in
terfere. and explain that such legislation was
against the policy ofths Government. Again. In
II Convention OF the five Tribes held some years
ago. very strong ground was taken against
yielding to the new movement for allotting
lands In severalty or weakening race allie
glance.
But OF late there have been signs that the
tribes are recognizing that a critical period
in their history has been reached. and that
they cannot be sure Of maintaining their
present status There are two parties on this
subject, and hitherto tho conservative has
become memhers ofthe tribe through marry
advocates OF holding to the old customs
This Is largely due I've to ,,,t the fact that they
own benefit to an extent which might not be
possible under system o! individual owner
ships They are reinforced in many cases by
chiefs. who are actuated by similar motives
Put against them is growing upan opposi:
the prosperity that white communities achieve
by the use Of means n ans similar 70 theirs.
that the OF as PerstosS
From tims to time Efforts are made to orin9
under the InrisdI"ton Of Of Oklahoma" With
y view to is ultimat. absorptton in the latter.
between being merged In oklahoma and form
ing an independent state Q! their own the lat
part Of Ok ahoma they would even now be
outy2ted and reduced to the position OF con-
s ps. raaa sreuaee ae Sal, The
their own. capable Of electine its Senators and
REPRESENTATIVES, In Congress. as vol as fgov-
there would be no such peril.
or course there are safeguards In the laws
Terrory in okahoma e' Ths sereraity h Alot
ment statute expressly exempts the civilized
tribes from its operat ions. The treaties made
with some Of the tribes also pledge the faith
OF the United States that no Territorial or
state lines shall be drawn about their do
mains. Yet 1t 10 felt by some OF the Indians
that 1t IL time to consider what further So
curity and privileges Statehood might offer
them.
One point very obvious is that the Ave tribes
have been for many years accustomed not
only to the rudiments,. but to some OF the ad-
vanced forms Of American representative gov
ernmsnt They have their Legislatures. com
posed OF two houses. their Governors. their
judicial systems. their militia force. their
stated elections, and the vote by ballot. Ac-
cordingly. their entrance into the Union as O
State has already been prepared for by some
political education and experience. A second
point to notes their capaeity for self main.
tenarce AS Territory or State through their
tribal funds. These latter. in some cases. are
quite large. The Chsrokees have lust In
creased theirs by between SS.O0O.OOO and
$1,000 OOU and the Choctaws and ChickasAws
combined by about $1,000 OUU through land
sales, The Usages. one OF the smaller tribes
in the Indian Territory. who would 90 with
the Ave larger In a scheme OF Statehood. are
the richest OF all
fut perhaps 1t frsta Territory, with Indians
az officials and the abolition Of the tribal land
system. Is as much as conld be look ed for Tho
work o. tho three Com missioners has yet to bo
parfOrmal