Daily Kennebec journal., 1893-06-03
BY TELEGRAPH.
An INDIAN STATE WANTED.
The Civilized Tribes See Safety Only In Sell
Government.

TorEkA, Kan, June 2-There is TO
longer any question that the civilized trib S
of Indians desire statehood. They do 10,
want to be attached TO Oklahoma, but ia
want TO have created state taking in the
five civilized tribes, who would thus be en-
abled 10 protect themselves. having conIro!
of the law n,skiog body.
The full-bloois of the Cherokees are in
favor of allotment of lands in their reser-
walton proper, the remainder TO be placed
at the disposal of the tribe, TO be sold for
their bepefit. This il no tleeting fancy
few DAYS stay among them revealed that
this fec lug was general, and as earnest as
it is general. The squa"-nen, those who
have married Inaian wives, oppose state
hood for they see in such organization the
abrogation of all the rights heretofore
granted them. The le,sses also desire the
tribal relations 10 be maintained, because of
the action of the full-bloods in working 10
secure the revocation of all leases.
The full bloods of the Chickasaws have
long been in favor of allotment ani state
hood The Osages and Choctaws are also
known to be in favor of statehood, pro.
| vided the state includes only the ln'irn
reservations. with the Indians as the frs,
citizens. They have had to content against
the attorneys who have fastened themselves
upon all these tribes, and who see in state.
hood the end of the fat fees that they have
| for years received.
| Chief Bu.fyhead of the Cherokees be-
ieves that if Congress will form a state onl
of the territory now occupied by the five
tribes, and give the Indians control of the
first Legislature and state officers, they will
be able to prove to the rest of the United
States that they are able sue
cessfully to conduct the government and
TO make it pattern. They want to banisi
from the country the whites who now live
there and to give citizenship rights only tf
those of full blood, though they would be
willing to grant citizenship to half-breet
children. barring the fathers, who are no'
deemed desirable in any sense.
| Should the Indians succeed in thus form
| ing state, they will have the co-operatIor
of the partially civilized Indians who are
now living in Oklahoma and the countr, tc
be opened. While many of these latter arr
known as blanket Indians, they are as
| shewd as their more educated brethren, and
are as anxious to free themst Ives from whit,
domination. The kickapoos and the Sac,
and Foxes are fully prepared for the new
departure, while the Cheyennes AMI Arapa
hoes have been so long in contact With th'
whites that they realize that their saiet,
from anniblation lies in separate govern
ment. The Apaches are among the wides'
of the Indians, and do not desire any
change. The latter have lost much of tn,
warlike spirit that formerly distinguished
them, and are content with the agency sys-
TEN. The Poncas fear only removal from
their old homes within the borders of what
is known as the Cherokee strip.
| The Osages have reached the highest ts pc
of civilization, their schools comparing
favorably with those of the whites in any
| state of the Union. In addition, the osapes
are Weather than any of the other tribes
| and possess q greater per capita wealth than
a like number of people in any portion OF
| the Union. They desire self government.
and would not accep! statehood on any
other terms.
There will be much opposition to this de-
parture, but personal observation reveals
that it is all on the part of those who hol'!
great leases. or who hold Land by virtue ot
their wives and children. The latter claim
that they will have influence enough in
Washington to defeat any attempt 10 form
an Indian state.