Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-09-12
NO OTHER SOLUTION.

roads lead to London. So in the
discussion of methods and means
by which monopoly may be over.
come and made impossible we al
ways arrive at one, and the same con-
clusion-allotment. Twenty years
ago a restriction act might have
been passed by our Legislature
that would have done great and
substantial good, but it is hardly
possible that any change in our
present system of holding land
will suffice that does not at least
lead to allotment of all the land
equally amongst all the people.
One of the reasons why a restIic-
ton act would not be practicable
under the present circumstances is
lhat the pro rata share of the citi-
zens is constantly changing with
the increase of those who share in
the land holding. What would be
the share of a citizen today would
not be a share tomorrow as it
would be correspondingly less as
population increases
The proposition has been made
that no one be allowed to take,
hold or occupy land except those
who have reached the age of is
years, but the injustice of that
system is too apparent to call for
argument, as under the treaty and
under our constitution all citizens
are equal, joint owners of the land
without any reference'whateyer to
age or condition. So any measure
that would force an equal division,
even though it be only temporary,
would not meet the demand of
those who are clamoring for an
equal division and opposing the
present system that is SO favorable
to monopoly.
The chief if not the only hope
of the great number of our citizens
that are not getting their share of
benefits accruing from the occu-
pancy of land lies in the one clause
of the Cherokee constitution that
guarantees that the lands of
the Cherokee nation shall remain
common property and makes it
possible even yet for a redistribu-
ton of the land among all citizens.
When we stop to think of the
future we are forced TO the conclu-
sion that some time we will have
to draw the line. of citizenship on
on all future generations OF Chero-
KEGS and declare for a settlement
with those now living. This is
what we have always done when a
per capita payment is to be made
of moneys belonging to the tribe
and designed for equal distribu-
ton. A day is set beyond which
no more births must be counted in
making the apportionment. So it
must necessarily be when the land
is allotted; a time will be set, after
which our children must be dis
inherited. This is without doubt
one of the great reasons why every
patriotic citizen shudders at the
thought of what seems to be an
unavoidable wrong done the
unborn generations. Taking this
view of the subject which is GER
tainly the rational one, we are led
TO enquire if there is not some way
by which this defect can be reme-
died by a system Of inalienable
titles when our lands are allotted,
which, without doubt, will be in
the near future. If each family
could be given their pro rata share
of land in a body with the title
vested in the family with just legal
restrictions so that it could remain
in the family it certainly would be
a wise precaution. for the time is
certainly coming when a very
large portion of the American peo-
pie will be landless if not home
less. OF course the subdivision of
land into smaller tracts will go on,
but there will be a vast throng of
people who will necessarily be
landless. This is a subject for the
consideration of our deepest and
most disinterested and patriotic
thinkers. 1t isa subject that we
must soon erapple with, indeed
that we are already graphing with
and it is like Bancho's ghost, it
Twill not down."
The Cherokee Advocate is owned
and run by the Cherokee nation.
W. nndarctand - hos oluavu haa,,