Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-02-07

for the survey and allotment ofthe |
lands Of the Choctaws and Chicka-
saws were agreed upon even to the
extent of locating the land Office.
Let us make the division and dis
pose OF the improvements, mines,
and town property according TO
the provisions of that treaty.
Some of you may not understand
how towns and cities can exist un-
der this form of government and a
common title. The Indian gov
ernment invited the whites to
come among them. The whites
rented from the Indians their
lands, and we're required to pay
into the common treasury a small
annual permit fee. As the num-
Der increased and the country ad.
vanced commerce and trade be-
came necessity. Towns and
cities were organized within the In.
closure of some member of the
tribe. Those who rented, built, or
resided upon lots were required 10
pay an annual rent, not into the
treasury of the tribe, but to the
Indians who had fenced or held
the land under the local law.
Towns are laid out upon the lands
that have been fenced in and
, rented.
= Mr.. Brosius. Can a white man
rent2
Mr.. McRae. Certainly, they
would have no towns in the Indian
country if they excluded the white
man.
Mr.. Brosius. Can o white man
fence in land and control it?
Mr.. McRae. Not unless he be-
, longs to the Indian tribes. He
must be recognized by the Indians
Men born outside of the jurisdic-
; ton of this country have secured
: tribal rights and have control of
! thousands of acres Of the most pro-
ductive land. The result has been
that thousands of Indians are to-
:, day without any land to fence.
The renters get no title to the
town lots, and yet the towns grow.
In some of them are magnificent
. brick buildings costing from 81 ,0OO
: to $4,000. They have banks, ho-
tells, churches, and everything ex-
: cept city government. These peo-
. pie are not criminals, nor are they
=" squatters or intruders. They are
there with the consent of the In.
! .dians. They have made the coun.
y try what it is and have advanced
Indian civilization beyond the ex
- pectations of the most sanguint
- dreamer. The Indian government;
- could not grow and prosper as they
= do without them, and yet it ha:
i been requested that they remain
:. disfranchised and have no voice
= in the government which they
Il manly support.
| do not claim for the non citi
l. zen any part of the lands, but | d.
insist that they have rights tha
a must be recognized. They shoulC
! have the right to purchase the lot
:, upon which their buildings hay,
- been erected at a fair valuation, o
:, should be paid for their improve
> ments both in town and country
They have a right to ask for sucl
- a change of government as will Sc
: - cure to them public school advsnt
- ages for the 10000 white childreI
$ now growing up in ignorance. |
;, is useless to talk of removin
~ them. Nobody wants that. No
= body expects that it will ever b
- done.
IN The absurd proposition to re
r move the 10000 whites is abhoI
g. rent to every sense Of America
y. manhood, and would not receiv
w 20 votes in this congress. Th
m agitation of such a proposition wi
n tend to engender strife and bite
~. ness between the whites and II
es dians where there should b
py friendship. The interests of II
he Indians. as it appears TO me, woul
X require that a positive veto shoul
be put upon such suggestion
l.. They hold leases and permit
ny Every white man must pay an al
ut nual permit fee, which is paid il
tn to the common treasury, and
ly used for the support of the trib
I'M government. They work upo
tie the farms of these Indian Ian
as lords. / am told that some
n. the Indians pay license fe,
ID; for as many as thirty whit
Is, men. They have as perfe
W. system of landlords as it
IN. possible to create.
ey These pioneers of ciyilizatio
ed and progress, bone of our bone an
no flesh of our flesh, went into tn
'es wilderness of semi-savages, not fl
on pillage and plunder, but with a
nd earnest desire to advance the civi
ID; ization of the Indians, promol
in the cause of good government, an
he to extend the Christian religion
re They have borne the many hare
NJ ships necessary to such life, an
nd have aided the government !
ed solving the Indian problem. As
be general thing they have alway
re deported themselves as loyi
ed American citizens and deserve
ot be recognized as such, rather tina
treated as intruders and criminal
ye Let us be frank with each otht
of and look the question fairly in tn
II. face.
.e, Do any of you contemplate thl
ir- these people shall remain permar
ty emily disfranchised? Whetht
re this congress does it or not, soonC