Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-12-20
TERRITORY.
(Continued from poae 1l

BilNt AhO iluihHo WI tntlf ittuhb,
but that they do desire that the
lands shall be allotted to the In
dians IL. such a way that every In
dian will get the full benefit Of that |
to which he is entitled under the |
treaty and under the law. II is
the desire TO break up this vast
holding of land by few individ.
uals, which lands belong to all the
Indians. II is the desire to see
that the property Of the Indians
is not squandercd and wasted.
These conditions, repeat, can
not continue. 1t will require
more radical measure than simply
an increase of the courts or in.
crease of jurisdiction in order to
correct these evils. In my opin.
ion, they can only be corrected by
placing that territory upon a foot
ing with the other territories of the
United States, by extending the
laws Of the United States to every
citizen within the territory, by
abolishing the power of the tribes
w NY AhNii NitIcnS uuu lehNlnE
that power with the United States
government, giving them the right
of suffrage, giving them their lands
in severalty, aud providing that
such land shall not be alienated
for period OF time, so as to pre-.
vent their being deprived of its use
or being swindIed out of it by 9th.
ers.
This is the only remedy for the
condition Of affairs which exists in
that territory. do not say that
the Indians are TO blame for that
condition. ! do not say that the
government of the United States is
wholly to blame. 1t comes from
conditions which no man could
foresee; it comes from the fact that
the territory is surrounded by
states with an intelligent and pro-
gressive population; it comes from
the fact that five Independent ma
tions cannot exist within this one
nation Of ours; it comes from the
TACT that there is a divided iuris-
diclion and a divided responsible
ityi and if the laws are not en-
forced there it is largely due to the
fact that there are so many con.
hicting interests and so much
doubt as to the ownership of lands
and the titles to their homes that
no body of citizens feels that a
special obligation rests upon them
to see that the laws are enforced.
II is absolutely impossible that the
marshals of the United States can
enforce the law throughout that
territory under present conditions.
Large parts of it are sparsely set
tied. The train robbers, thieves
and murderers who are travelling
over the territory, and who have
taken refuge there from the crimes
they have committed in the states
can retire into the Businesses of the
mountains. There are no citizens
there whose duty and obligation 1t
Is to see that these criminals are
arrested. As | said before. the
great body of the people, both
whites and Indians, are as peacea.
BILE and law-abiding as any citizens
in the United States, yet under the
conditions there existing it is i'm
possible that the laws can .bs-thor-
oughly and adequately enforced.
No blame can attach TO the courts
, OF the United States nor to the gov
ernment officials. | believe they
have used every exertion and have
done all that was possible to do TO
|, enforce the law.
Mr.. President, the states sur
, rounding the territory have an in
terest in it beyond that of other
states. The conditions are such
that refugees from justice from
= Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklaho.
, ma and Arkansas take shelter in
I side Of that nation; they defy the
, laws and defy the authority of the
people e the surrounding states,
and from time to time issue forth
and commit rObberies upon the
citizens Of Kansps, Arkansas, Mis-
+ souri, and Texas The people OF
, those states have a right TO demand
Of the government that the Indian
) Territory shall not remain there as
a barrier to all progress, remain
= there as a place of refuge for the
/ thieves and robbers who escape
from all the surrounding states
. There is but one voice and one
feeling throughout that entire sec
tion, so far as ! know, and that is
r that these conditions cannot con-
tinue. There is, | repeat, no de-
sire to take the property of the
Indians and give it TO any white
man, but there IS desire that
there shall be security for prop.
: erty and that the laws of the
9 United States shall be enforced in
every part of the United States.
D | hope the members of the com
mittee on Indian affairs will give
this bill immediate consideration
The honor of the government un.
der which we live, the security oil
the Indians and other citizens oI
! that territory, aud the peace and
order of society in the surrounding
states alike demand that action
and speedy action, shall be had.
If this bill does not present the
best solution Of the question,
trust that the committee will bring
in a bill which will meet the con,
ditions. All | desire is that The
, conditions which now exist shall
! be changed, and that at the earli.
est possible moment; and that the
people there shall be subject TO the