New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-26
,ANDs OF THE FIVE TRIBES.
EFFORTS OF THE ADOPTED
,NnI.Ns TO PREVENT INDIVIDUAL
ALLOTMENTS.
..su LAWS AGAINST TREATING WITH WHITES
-ruI-BLooDs EASILY hhD-rlANS III
PROTECT THE POOR TRIBEsMEN.

,norrcT THE POOR TRIBESMEN.
,,d Ter. March 10 (speciaD.-At the
.,or of the Choctaw delegation in attendance
International conference OF the Five Tribes at
.. ootab on February is the United states Com
's,on prepared and submitted TO the Choctaw
,,",ion proposition embodying the main points to
s,sc,ssed and agreed upon between the commits
- o,d that tribe with reference to allotment OF
,-.ds and abandonment of tribal government The
la,. covernor Wilson y. Jones has issued
ocamation converting the Choctaw council IN
.cial session on March % for the purpose OF con-
asr,nr this proposition and determining whe'her
~ Will treat with the commission on the hnes
siootod Present indications point to an aihrma-
.'"a d.,ision but should the council decide other
Wv" ~. commission will probably enter upon an
tended campaigning tour of the Territory. unless
81. nrorramme as now partially agreed upon should
$. cut short by offer OF some one OF the other
tribes 10 treat.
,,,,oerous Indian friends Of allotment and terri
.o-,aI government stoutly affirm that the Indian
' w. are plaving a two-faced and waiting
- Nth the commission. believing that they have
rcb 70 gain and nothing to lose oy deiaY' 'hat
- If them are land barons opposed TO allotment
,,, self interest. and the rest rascally poitciahs
oh, re the servile tools OF the barons ana VINO i've
- tbe Indian revenues which mainly consist OF
va It., rocaived from the United States Govern
-. that they do not intend to treat with the
commission and will not until forced 10 by pop"-
,.- uprising of the people or ny perefnp'ory 'oh-
-assional enactment. ON the other manu. 'he COM
o,ssion has good reason to believe that many oi
49, Indian officials who appear either Indifferent
:, onnosed TO change are at heart In FAVOR OF H.
"a ora only feeling their way cautiously with
ae,v 70 making sure of majority support before
o,nmitting themselves outright Moreover IL Is
M. surprising that they should proceed WIN soile
cau,on when the laws of these people are consul
roa and the fact that only few years ago II was
10 adj
rsrritory For this and kindred offences the great
pouainot the ablest Cherokee OF the century was
forced 10 fee his country.
10 mo view Of the genuine Indian the ful-bood
,,sre is no way like the old way. lie Is cons'''u
,nauv opposed to change of any kind. and holds IN
hho-ra,c, the member Of his tribe who
80 .o Interfere with existing tribal rule BY the
unwritten law OF these Five Tribes any meihpei
suIlty OF attempting TO subvert or chaige 'he en-
letting tribal status was liable TO be Killed on sieht
nv any other member OF his tribe. ana this SIM
no,, has in some measure found expression IN 'he
-, codes NJ these people. The Cherokee code
declares II treason. punishable by Imprisonment Tor
ION years, fo- any member OF the 'rioe' "'"o" ''
.r,hority Of the Cherokee Council 10 MAKE any
,rso,v with the Government of the United states
AZ with any department or officer thereoi Io' any
nurpose other than the cession OF iands' ID! NV
-. .o.,a CONSUMING to subvert the Government vi
che Cherokee Nation is a felony punishaDe ny I'M
nrisonment Under the Creek code one ""u,
ia.hes on the bare back is the penalty LOT pa
mating in any meeting or convention haV''s III -,
nb,ect subversion OF the Creek CONSTITUTION ,.'
,.ws Section 200 Of this code Is as foHo"S' 40
80, shall attend any meeting or COUNCIL Cdi'ou
- =, alien when such meeting Is ihtehued !"
nroauce lawlessness is subversve OF the co''''
tuition and laws Of this nation uiiHe' p'"''
nifty lashes on the bare BACK
INDIANS MAY NOT TREAT WITH WHITES
=. would seem that under this section creek
c,,izen Is liable 10 penalty Of nifty asnes Oh ne
80 h.cr for attending any meeting called by the
U ~ns S,o,.s commission for the purpose OF pro-
10 abandonment OF land-holdng In common
- ,r,hal government That the penalties proViueu
NV The laws of these Indians are not e"io.'o1
AGAINST present Indian offenders is because t''e'
are now too many OF them. because OF "hoieso,ne
rse.ra not TO say dread. OF the Government oi III.
-. c,.,as and more than ALL because all OF
.h I,d,on officials and leaders. without slhb'e
.xcenton and including those most strohs'y opPO9'
20 the work OF the commission. openly auiNi' ''.',
The end OF tribal rule in this territory Is ned'
move whatever in the direction OF enforcing ms
., s,otu,as has been made by the Indian authori-
,,ss ca far from this II is due the represen'a'N C
:. IN ,nose Indian governments to say that they
80 o, ALI times urged the Commissioners 70 come
among their people and talk TO them iree'E coi'-
earning the object Of their mission at 'he sam.
time offering to provide them with conVeyahceS anu
suitable accommodations wherever they may WEN
AM
dences. ,o
I, :. with view 10 reaching a speedy ana sue
.assf,,, conclusion Of their work. and in response 10
these invitations of the Indian offcials ana 10 'e
ureent requests OF Indian citizens iaVorlhs '"e pr
r.,sed change that the commission contemplate
holding a series Of mass-meetings IN the 4erIl'oiS
There seems abundant warrant for this course io'
during the last MONTH from the two sources men
toned and from every quarter Of the territory III
yitations 10 hold such meetings have poureu III upo"
the commission at the rate OF dozen d "'eH' ~
sides the full-blood Indians are undefs'oou " W
nearly all opposed change. They i've Ddch III '''
stony. wooded hills and waste places. away IRON
the railroads and habltations OF their more ehe'
yetic and ayaricious half breed and white adopted
bnothers The commission cannot reach them eN
cent by holding meetings In their neighporhoouS
They are the mountain in this case, ana 'he con"
mission must go to them to see them ana ID iti"
converts OF them talk to them through the teoAou'
and often treacherous medium OF untrus'"or'n'
interpreters But they must be looked after. 10;
their homes are the boosted stronghold OF tr'o"
government and and-holdlng in common. Inc ia'''
barons who have fenced them out OF the DeSt par
of their lands and the Indian politicians VINO ga
IN their annuities confidently assert that the fui
Hoods are practically unit in opposition TO change
There Is no denying that to a considerable exten
this IS true but 1t Is easily accounted Tor Dy the
natural aversion 10 change and the fact that tne'
are largely dependent on and indebted 10 the pai'
for small accommodations which mean much u
them but are Of small moment TO the barons hu
better reason still for their opposition TO chai's
is the fact that numbers OF the barons have the'
confidence and make them believe that aliotHeh
and territorial government would ruin them u
fulI-boods are exceeding slow 10 cohlue :"
strangers or persons not members OF their tribe Du
once their confidence IL gained the work Is easy
They are as sheep before the shearers and can u
robbed before their very eyes without arous'"'
their serious resentment or mourning danger
bodily harm. The baron here. with the meres
splash OF Indian blood IN his veins. when eh'i''e
him to membership in the tribe. who has the' u"
hdence and above all who speak their language
isa power among them 1t is common talk her
that to beat a bill before Indian council "'
barons have only to whisper the full-blood mem