Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-11

miles around der to reach place
only three o, our miles away IN
most places ind nation the non-citi-
gems on land cc~ss outnumber the CIT
lzens--west of,,gtand river, In Coo
weescoowee nv Delaware districts.
II Is the exec IA to the rule 10 IND
citizen on lin; the nom citizens
will outnumbi hem 100 to !. There
Is nothing Tho Il OF one man In IRIS
portion OF cou y claiming from live TO
twenty farms And In most instances
these farms perhaps consist Of ten
acres in cultivation and from 1000 10
5000 acres in grass land, for hay TO
cut and ship out OF the country Tor
speculation.
These non-eitizens claim to be leas-
ing this land from citizens. And IN
most Instances, when non-citi2en
once gets to be a lease holder he then
commences 10 lease to other non-ciu-
zens on his own account. Hundreds
OF leases are held by non-citizens,
emanatlng from another nun-cltizen.
Thus our entire public domain is alb
sorbed. and they even go so far as
to sell the Infenced quarter for huy
purposes-for shipment. This condition
of affairs has been productive OF q
great hardship TO a large portion or
our citizens. They realize that they
are entirely deprived OF homes and
privileges or the public domain. while
the few citl..'ns, together with non-ciu-
gems. are monopolizlng all OF their
rights. Even hay and wood are denied
them.
Heretofore we have endeavored
through our councillors and senators 10
obtain relief, but so far these land
monopolists have been able to thwart
us In our design. and with money
have defeated us In this. our right. We
q. .fsfa. aNl La aF 10
these transactions with non-citizens
are without the semblance OF law TO
protect them under the government.
And the courts OF the United States
In this Territory have decided that
they have no status under the Arkan-
sas statutes. The Interior department
has long since decided that even our
council had no right to lease land. And
surely such right cannot be dele
gated to a citizen.
I'm view Of these things. we as law
abiding citizens once more ask for re-
lief at your hands We view our own
council as the proper place to make
our wants known and obtain redress
for our wrongs. And we trust that
our appeal win not be In vain,
I'VE are fully determined to have re-
dress. We can no longer suffer our
rights and the rights OF our families to
be trampled upon by the mOnupollats
ana Ignored by our officers. We ask
you for relief once more. and trust you
VIII not Ignore our request We would
regret very much to be driven to the
necessity OF appealing to the United
States government for relief but the
duty we ow, ourselves, our wives and
children wi impel us To this course as
a last resort to obtain our rights. We
ask your consideration OF this sub
ject at this assembling of the council,
and If not compiled with, this petition
win surely be forwarded to the CON
gress Of the United states, asking
them for the relief our own govern
ment has for many years steadily re-
fused us.
we. your petitioners. will ever
pray"
The Tcxas-OlSlahoma Union sends
greetings to those Indians IN their
efforts 10 regain possession Of their
lands. Further, we VIII come 10 their
assistance by ignoring any right or
pretence of the land kings, except that
acquired by law and their treaty. We
believe the time is ut hand for every
man that loves Justice and fair play
to write aud help those real Indians
to get their rights. one thing they
may depend ON. and that Is that no
member of our Union VIII be blutfsd in
to putting up one dollar to keep out of
a suit with unlawful landholders. Their
motto will be TO honor the legal de-
munds of the tribe, and If none shows
up with authority to receive rents and
hold them In trust. Hut we win not
put them In the hands of land kings
To law some helpless settler with, Wen
stand by the law and let the chips ny.