The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-11-08

belong to him. or, ratAer to his wife. |
The Young wife is quite proud OF her
husband and holds herself above her
sister >quaws who arc welded to In-
dian bucks.
The richest squaw man in the west
left long record behind him in the
east. He holds. ostensib.y as his
wife :. many thousand head of cattle,
which he pastures on government or
Indian land free of charge He also
draws his wlfe's share of the pasture
money due from outsiders whose ca:
tie feed on the Indian ranges. Few
Of the squaw men disguise the fact
are 10 more than marriages for con-
ycniencc Most of them came INTO
the territory with the express purpose
Of acquiring rights 10y marriage, and
!, getting hold of 4 portion of the gov
ernment money 10y means Of their
wives They find no difficulty in Sc
curin. SYuaws willing to marry them.
In contest between an Indian and a
, white man for the hand Of an Indian
maiden, the latter seems generally to
be successful and it is quite evident
. that the lot of an Indian girl who
marrles white man is il. many re-
spects far preferable to that OF the
. Girl who marries IN Indian of her own
or ano;hc: tribe. 1t is we'll known
. that of late several wealthy cattlemeD
have contracted marriages with dauyl-
tyrs of Indian chiefs for the purpose
, Of acquiring rights necessary for the
q further enlargement of their business
e 1t will hurt these squaw men finan-
!, ci;;lly if the government allots each
Y Indian an amount of land and 4 sum
4 Of money. They will lose much of
t their pasture land, and will no longer
; collect the grass money due their
) squaws. Many Of the better class of
Il Indians are beginning to appreciate
this. The opening of Oklahoma and
. the Cherokee Strip for settlement has
-, thoroughly convinced them that the
present condition OF affairs cannot
q long continue. They are ovcrruled
:, however, by the majority of thcl
20 tribes. which is controlled 10y squav
i. men who have immense tracts of lant
- under fence. These holdings woul,
!, be forfeited, and the sluaw men woult
, be held down to lawful grazing on
-, small tract instead Of unlawful graz
., ing on large tracts. TO own a larg
farm and have 4 substantial cas-
- price added 10 it would in itself be in
~, tinitcly better to the Indian than
!, doubtful title to large tracts, and thi
"a would be realized but for the fact tina
>, those sQuaw men in possession OF tn
., greatest cx"anse of country succeed
II, in convincing all others that a gener;
49, policy of cOntiscatiOn is contemplated
!, and that if 4 treaty is made for state
= hood and allotment. white people Wi
" be allowed to race into the countr
and capture every particle of groun(
%; Although the Oklahoma countr
h.. was fairly acquired from the Indian
!, br purchase and treaty the fact tn;
-. it was offered for free settlement
= quoted against the government col
s;an;lv. Few of the Indians take Ii
fa. trouble to vote. The squaw men col
~, troll the majority of those who do vo
=, and hence are able to offset any ou
break of sentiment in favor Of q ia
~ and final settlement of the trouble.
IN When the land of the Cherokee
9TH the Choctaws. the Greeks. and 9th
ler civilized nations are opened for st
in .lement. the condition Of affairs "
TO differ from what it is was at the Ok
es. Eoma and Cherokee Strip opening
cry There are scvcra! towns with we
hat stocked stores. ard :. iu:,e popu
1ey ton to be considered the lands
rm. the k,chapoo Indians Will shortly
ex- opened for settlement, and will
and paid for 10y settlers at the rate Of 81.
ave An acre. Treaties are in favoral
avs progress with the Poncas, Wichit
DOS and other nations. although there
IDLE much opposition. The Osages, for
n.t L.