Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-04-19

to lay its hand on these treaties.
That the property rights of the In
dians in the lands would be sa-
credly guarded, and no one need
expect the government to deprive
them Of any of their rights in the
land. That the property rights
could be much better secured to
the Indian by negotiations and
agreement, and IL is a pity for the
Indians that some of them refuse
to treat with the Dawes commits
sion. That Senator Dawes knew
more of Indian affairs than almost
any othe. man, and had stood up
and advocated their rights IN the
United States senate, and obtained
the appropriations of almost fabu-
lous sums by congress for the In
dian. That if the Indians had any
claims against the government they
should present them to the Dawes
commission and it would treat
them literally, and the United
States would be liberal with them
to the extent of prodigality.
AS yet we have come to no con
clusions as to how the change here
will be made, but depend upon il,
this condition of things can not
last. Four or five little aristoc-
racies in the heart of this great
government cannot longer be toll
Grated.
Now, if this is not a knotty
problem for broad craftsmanship
we do not know why, hut we viii
settle it all so justice will be meted
out TO both the white man and the
Indian.
Senator Platt, after expressing
surprise and qualification at the ev-
ident intelligence of the audience,
proceeded, saying he had no con-
clusion in his mind as to how this
Indian problem will be solved.
We have the factors of the problem
and must solve it. The dullest
comprehension must know that
this condition cannot last always.
We came here to ascertain more
by inspection and from hearing
from you and conversing with the
Indian and hearing from them
what is possible to do and DO that
which is best and not unjust to the
Indian. 1t has been said that the
Indians are wards of the govern
ment but find a different state of
affairs existing here to day. The
whites seem to be the wards of the
Indian natives. We have taken
pretty good care of our wards. We
have appropriated sl7 100000 We
have appropriated large sums Of
money for their use and appointed
a good many officers to take care
of them. If the Indians would
take as good care of their white
wards as the United States does of
the Indians, your condition would
not be so deplorable. The Indian
nations take no care Of you at all
and you can't under present sys-
tenn have right, part or parcel in
the government where you live.
The first thing that lies at the
foundation of our government is
home rule of the American citizen
and you cannot have it here, and
the next is the public school, and
the next the college and then comes
municipal government.
If you will read the books writ.
ten on political economy by writers
on that subject you will see that
the strength OF our government
rests in the principle of home rule.
In a New England town if there
were not more than fifty people
they vote on every subject. They
vote either by ballot or holding up
their hands, and whatever the
town meeting decides on everyone
has to abide by il. This is impos.
sible here. You can have no town
meeting of any kind. A thing that
is true of the American citizen is
that wherever he goes he is to gov
ern. An Indian said to me to. day
that the white man bad no right to
complain and said that if you did
not like it you could go away, but
the white man when he comes
doesn't 60 away in this country.
1t is Unborn in the Saxon. the Celt
and the Teutons; where he plants
himself he stays.
As has been said by Senator Tel
Ter as to the manner of fixing this
change, it must be true that no in
justice is done. There is one thing
that is to be said by these treaties,
which was not alluded to by SEN
ator Teller. The reasons Of max.
ing the treaties have passed away
and not by our fault, but as tar as
they convey the title of the real
estate are in force and must be
kept. We guaranteed the Indians
government of their own We
did not intend the constitution
should be abrogated, and we re-
served in these treaties that moth
ing should be done against the
constitution of the United States
and we guaranteed to them that we
would not throw around them the
bounds Of any territory or state.
The reason Of the guaranty is gone
and gone by the Indians consent.
They have invited the white man
here and therefore the reason of
their political condition no longer
exists and | think the United
States has a right to say to the In
dian "we guaranteed to keep the
white man out; you invited him in
here and therefore a government
of your own is no longer neces-