Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-03-01
WHY NOT Aor WITH RnAsoNq
we Shall Gain Respect and Lose
Nothing.

was expected the Indian council
at Checotah has all gone up in
smoke. That was evidently the
design OF its promoters. Chief
Harris selected the ablest, most
honorable and most patriotic law
yers of our nation to represent us
in that august body. We can say
to them, what Mark Antony said
over the body of Caesar, you are
all honorable men. A curious
public would like to know Just
how many fees these able and pa
triotic attorneys have refused from
persons who after submitting
their evidence, was we'll known to
them, were not entitled to citizen.
ship in this nation2 Such list
would oe taken and accepted as
q full measure of unselfish, dis
interested, patriotic love for the
poor Indian. They were unani-
nous, of course they were. They
were sent there for that purpose.
But was il wise to be unanimous2
The sequel will show. | will not
undertake to say that they did not
represent a majority of the Chero-
kee people. But / will say that
there are quite a number of Chero-
kee citizens who do not agree with
them in this matter. will not
criiicise the chairman of the
Checotah convention for forssking
his disciples in the hour of danger
because all men have right to
change their opinions. Daniel
Webster said a true patriot would
change every day for the good Of
his country. The faithful senti-
mel gives warning of the coming
danger. Who is il feels safe in
his holdings2 Do we not feel
some uneasiness about our future2
Who would not like to know the
outcome of the present complica-
tions? The United States govern
ment tells US in unmistakable
Language through her honorable
commissioners that we are a nuis-
ance that must be abated. That
they are dissatisfied with our way
of holding land. Who cf ordinary
intelligence will not tel you that
it is only question of time and
only a short time at that when
allotment must come and with il
statehood. Why not propose to
the commission that when the
intruders are put out according to
the Strip Sale Agreement that we
will be ready for allotment? When
will we ever be in so good a condi.
tion as then for a iair and equal
division of land and money? The
United States has always provided
for the protection OF her citizens
from loss who have gone on to her
public lands before it was survey
ed and placed upon the market by
giving them a preemption right to
100 acres of land and reasonable
time to enter and pay for it at the
regular government price where his
improvement was. The get-there-
first idea was recognized in the
race for the Oklahoma and Strip
lands. Also in the allotment to the
immortal 20. Ii would be in line
with the precedents set by United
States for every citizen who had
right to make an improvement
on the public domain of the Cher
okee nation to take his allotment
there if he chose to do so. If he
has more land with improvements
on it than. his and his family's
share. he should be allowed a rea-
sonahle time to sell them or allow
him to remove them as they are
under our constitution his inde-
feasible property. Why not let
the same rule work in the towns
where individuals have in good
faith bought lots from the nation?
IL seems that they would have at
least a preemption right to take
these lots into or as a part of their
share Of the land, not at a town or
city valuation because their labor
and money have made them valu-
able. What | mean is this IL
one individual should have bought
ten acres in town lots and is en-
titled to l60 acres of land let him
have lis ten acres in town and
one hundred and fiftv acres on his
farm if he has one. | do not see how
any iair minded man could object
90 this. This is a question that is
disturbing some OF the best citizens
of our country. Many widows
and orphans have their all invest
ed in this way, who have no say
ia this matter. Would it not be
ruinous to them to be forced to
pay town valuation for their lot
or lots or give up their improve.
ments. The east half of Vinita
has been surveyed but not sold !;
good business houses and many
excellent dwellings have been
built on that side The same rule
will work there. All admit that is
public domain. / know there
will be objections to this way Of
solving this question. One of our
greatest troubles is we can never
agree on anything. We can't man
age our own affairs, neither are we
willing to let the United States au.
thorities make suggestions. Some
Of orr people are swearing terri
bly, because the Dawes commits
sion is here. They want to ignore
them. We have had a little ex-
perience in that ignoring business.
We ignored the Wallace court and
what did we gain by that2 We
got freedmen on the roll from Ne
braska to Texas. How are we 10
get that roll revised. can we do IL