The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-11-30
pose any change and ask only to be let


fha rest of the tribe and 10 the great proHI
of those who operate them and approprl
ate their products TO their lhul'iuuai use;
Large and valuable plants Tor mtnihe coal
have been established by capl'aIio,S az;
her leases by which, toget her with dis
soverers, claims authorized by the trlOal
rovernments. these coal lands are covered,
and under the workings of which the
rirbtful owners are being despolIed OF this
rsluable property with very little or no
profit to them; and 10 IS Gear ona' LIS
nropertv should be restored To Inc COM
mon domain and protected to the common
oeonle and the mines worked undeF
system Just and equitable ~ All WHO nave
rights therein. 1,
..The vast pine forests heret, fore SPOKEN
pf. which are or incalculab!e aiue' IL no.
indispensable, III the future de Teiopinent
pf the country and the build 'ng up OF
homes and improvements OF tb.' az iCui
.ural lands are being spoliateo anu Ialu
waste bv attempts, under laws ena'jteu ~.
that purpose, To grant TO ie"' iio3tI!
adopted white citizens. the llghC ~ o"U
and market for their own use VIVA lever
firober they can turn to their own pr ONT:
This is an irreparable destruction OF oh'- Va
the most essential elements OF the prog rSsS
Df the country in the future and shouId "e
at once arrested.
Towns of considerable Importance have
been built by white persons under leases
to appropriate the common property 10
these uses Permanent improvements Oh
great value have thus been made Dy While
citizens of the United States, Induced ana
encouraged thereto by the tribal govern
meuts themselves and have become I'M
movable fixtures which cannot be taken
AWAY. However difficult the problem or
adjusting rights thus involved, nothing
can be more clear than that the step can
not be retracted. Towns built under sucn
inducements cannot be removed nor their
structures RACED to the ground, nor can
the places they occupy be restored TO the
conditions originally contemplated by The
treaties Ruiuous any such attempt
would be o those thus Induced TO eXpend
their money in building these towns, III
would be less Iuinous TO the Indians them |
selves TO be, by any such attempt, forced !
back to the methods of life existing before |
The coming of these white men. The or
lginal idea of community OF property has
been entirely lost sight OF and dlsreEarded |
IN every branch of the administration OF |
their affairs toy tie governments which !
have been permitted to control this terri |
tory under the treaty stlpulatlons which |
are now being invoked, by those who are |
in this manner administering them. as |
protection for their personal holdings and |
Enterprises
1.-The large payments of moneys to the |
Indians of these tribes within the last lew |
parently well-authenticated complaints OF 1
fraud, and those making such payments, |
with others associated with them III the |
business, have, by unfair means and I'M |
proper Use OF the advantages thus afforded |
Them, acquired large fortunes, and IN /
many instances private persons entitled to |
payments have received but little benefit |
therefrom. And worse still Is the fact that |
the places of payments were throGged with |
evil characters of every possible CASTE by .
whom the people were swindled, defrauded, |
robbed, and grossly debauched and demon
allied. And In case OF further payments OF |
money to them the government should |
make such disbursements to the people |
directly, through one of its own officers. |
LIQUOR MATTEI.IS MENTIONED.
eve feel IL our duty 10 here suggest that |
any measures looking to any change of af |
fairs in this territory should embrace |
special, strict and effective provisions for
protection of the Indian and other citizens
from the odGction, manufacture or
sale of intoXicants of any kind In the terri
tory, with penalties therefor and for fall
IRE by officers to enforce same. sufficiently |
severe to cause their perfect execution. A |
failure to thus protect these Indians will, |
In measure, work their extinction at no
distant day.
at is a deplorable fact, which should |
not he overlooked by the government,
that there are thousands of white children
Ia this territory who are almost wholly |
without the means of education, and are
consequently growing up with no lifting
preparation for useful citizenship. A
matter of so much concern to the country
should not be disregarQed.
Nv hen the treaties were confirmed in
1896 provisions were made for the adop-
ton and equality of rights of the freed
men, who he'd heretofore been slaves in
the tribes, upon terms provided In the
treaties. The Cherokees and Choctaws
have appeared to comply with the letter of
the prescribed terms. although very in
adequately and tardily, and the Chicka-
Jaws Mt one time took some steps towards
complying with these terms, but now
deny that they ever adopted the freedmen,
hnd are endeavoring 10 retrace the steps
originally taken.
'They now treat the whole class as aliens
without any legal right to abide among
them, or TO claim any protection under
their laws. They are shut out of tine
tchooIs of the tribe, and from their courts,
and are granted no privileges of occupancy
Of any part of the land for a home, and are
helplessly exposed TO the hostilitIes Of the
citizen Indian and the personal animosIty
Of the former master. Peaceable law
abiding, and Woodworking, they have
fought IN vain TO be regarded a part of !
the people to whose wealth their industry /.
is daily contributing a very essential nor
ton. They number in that tribe about !
q. 000 while the ChIckasaws number s. 500 1
The United States Is bou1d by solemn .
treaty To place these freedmen securely in /
The enjoyment OF their rights as Chickasaw !
Indians, and can not with honor ignore /
the obi CATION.
I'll pom this subject, as also the claims /
Rnd condition of the Choctsw freedmen.
referred TO us hy the Department, we sub /
init with this rcuort briefs prepared and /
submitted to us by Hon. h. V. Belt, ana /
Hon. j. L. Mullen, counsel for the Choctaw !
and CnIcka,aw freedmen.
The condition Of the freedme.> in the /
ChCCtaw and Cherokee tribes i liJti lie bel
ter than that OF those among the Chicka- /
Baws, although they have been adopted !
according Il the requirements OF the treat /
tes. 1nry are yet very fa- from the en- ioy-
ment Of all the rights, privileges. and inn /
munlties 10 which they are entitled under /
the treaties. In the Choctaw tribe. the ,
forty acres to which they are entitled for "A |
home has not been set apart to them and /
10 one has any title 10 a single foot OF land !
lie may Improve or occupy. Whenever his /
occupancy If land Is in The wsv OF any cit /
jzeu Indian he l. AT once, by means sUtfi-
GENTLY severe and threatening, comnelled /
10 leave his Improvements. He conse- /
quently has no abiding place. aud what he I
= enabled 10 get from the soil for his SUD- /
port. he ! compelled 10 gather either fur I
lively or by the most absolute sIsbserv-
iency 20 The will, caprices or exs.cSsops of 4
his former master. But meager provision
i made for the schooling of his chil,iNn.
and but little partlcI patton in the man.u--
neut ot the government OF which he is a I
citizen l. permitted INN.
'He l. nevertheless moral. industrious
ana frugal, Praceab.e, orderly, aud obeli- /
ent 10 the laws, taking no part in the
crimes which have OF late fiIled the coun-