New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-24
CITIZENSHIP FOR INDIANS.
CAUSES THAT UNDERLIE THE OPrOSl-
TON IN THE FIVE TRIBES"
THE BOSSES. "sQUAw MEN AND UNITED STATES
OFFICIALS ALL WORKING AGAINST STATE
HOOD FOR THE INDIAN TERRITORY
THE PRESENT DEPLoRABLE
,TI. AFFAIRS

Vinita T. T.. Feb. II (SpeciaD.-A year ago Presi-
dent Cleveland appointed and sent to the Indian
Territory the Indian Commission OF when OK
Senator Dawes. Of Massachusetts. is chairman
The commission assigned 10 the work oil cN-
doavorng TO negotiate an agreement WITH ei'her
or all of the Five Civilized Tribes whereby the
lands which these tribes now hold by tenure III
common might be allotted to the tribal members
i'm severalty, their tribal autonomy surrendered
and other steps taken toward ultimate Statehood
In November last the Secretary of the Interior
ordered the commission to Washington to make
rcuort OF its proceedings in the Territory during
the preceding nine months. ana on 'he ISL
inst. the Secretary temporarily suspended IN"
commission for two months.
II will thus he seen that only nine months. in
Guiding the hot months Of July and August when
active campaigning here is next to impossible
were given the commission to conduct these nefo-
tiations with the authorities 81 The Inherent
tribes. and to carry on 4 campaiGn.ns tour III Il
country as large as Iniiana. and wh"I" inc pe"p'
to be reached the full-bood Indians live In the
wooded hills and mountain fastnesses' iar from
The railroads and habitaions of white men, COM
plalnt has since been made hy the Indian dele
gates at Washington that this speaking cam
paign was not extensive and thorough "S IL
should have been. and that the commission shou'i
have. addressed more full-bood Indian meetings
in the Territory. ON the other hand. the people al
say here that tn, Dawes Commission was ih"
most active AMI energetic that ever came "'n""-
them. Indeed. seeing the very inalhr' "l'P"-
ton of the commission 10 push THINGS ana ''''"
an carly conclusion % It's labors. tho lndhn ""'-
ars took repeated occasion to advise patience
e,,irc nothing could ie gained by undue haste.
tb,f their people were provcrbidliy slow To thhk
and act. and that in such negotiations ih'S ''"'"
not be- driven by threats. Indians are holo'lo"S|
the -lowcsi nortas IN the world to r"a'h concur
sions and only firearms viii drive them To "c'
AGAINST their will II IT Is the policy OF me IA
rinistratton TO change existing conditions IN The
Five Tribes by friendly negotiation ana "F'''
ment il should be- understood ~ ono" 'h'' u '".'
not be- done in that way. In the time mus TAR ~
lowed the Dawes Commission. y majority "' '''
members Of all the Indian councils are fu-bi'o'S'
ana these Invariably proceed on the assumption
that Rome was not built In day AMI always
take their own time in making A bargain Win
Uncle sam.
Three months ago the friends Of change here hai
great hopes that tho commission "oulI 20" con-
timed Notwithstanding its report Of failure -
make an agreement with any tribes. They believed
that this Congress when duly appFis'a los ~
official repor, Of the commission Of the Hs-i"''l"i
and dangerous condition 81 affairs 10 THIS country.
would pass legislation favorable % change ann
c,l,ul,ted 10 promote the work anl % convince
the Indian bosses opposing change that u ""- in'
FOR them to make terms with the commission. Ihef
ver. further encouraged in ths belief hy me large
number II bills ~ that character introduced 81 ih'
operu, 81 the session. bat w!tn none "i these DIS
f! De-
session remaining. they NOW admit that nothing
,, ,tt,. h i,,.. by Congress Many of 'h,m
SIS, hat tho TEMPORARY suspension ~ the cImmls-
sion for sixty DAYS by Secretary Smith means iis
anal discharge az the expiration 81 mat une ana q"
onifre abandonment ~ the work hy The Alnihit-
traton and that n this hasy ana il-hifis"4 a. +'n
f.. taken u Will be- ~ piece and ln sweetest ac-
cord with everything else undertaken hy th" party
In bower
In the view that nothing further "I D" done -
chirs. existing conditions 'n THIS lana "i 1871 '"'N'
Cherokee ElI. Sa,'fer. 1871 b"'.n Tulsa JAG" "n'
other noted i,. prrIiof.. tAe Indian bosses "ni re
c.u'iug a Very frW1 f.'r very aef''aNl" >'h'-i'.-
lo,.- In rul.n,, against change and d'noun.ns the
Dave Commission. fhe Tinted states on. in
the Territory ana those connected ".'h 'h' f''''''
courts az Fort smith. AK. ann f"Ii' i'N''.' E'"-
orally and cheerfully concur. ih't say t"r HhNF'i
point with them Hts this Congress. anu i'"' l""y
knew IL they could prevent action on p'h'Nh l"'-
ian bills during tine present session the commission
would probably boz tis hlrfoi ana themselves per
mlif,l 20 remain lu Hudlsiurhcd "njolm'Hi oil ih''
present monopoly of land ans lat Offices Tor ~ least
rs, v.,r4 longer. l. may be remarked ln THIS CON
,,.ciiou thai nobody ~ th!s country. whether "a
fiu-hlood or haif-breed Indian. "squaw man.
.non-cit.zeu" or what-noi. however strongly op-
fosl 10 change expects the present status L" CON
tinue FOR any consii"rahl" number 81 years On
the CONTRARY. al say openly And without i'E'i''
that they have been expecting a change Tor s'Nct''
years So far from expecting 10 peri ciuai" Indian
autonomy Tor many years To come ana aiming -
subscrve the best Interests If the people Al l@rs'
enjoyment of the cmouments OF Once ana 81 TIE
profits OF land monopoly has been the sole Gnu anu
aim 81 the controlling element "i an ihu''" 'lP'
s!tOn 10 the Dawes Commission ana 10 ihe IN1'd"
blls in Congress affecting the Five Tribes. SlN
months snf1ifrn In this Indian country cannot fail
a. convince tho s,anchest friend OF the Indian IN
,bo East or any d!sint,rcstcd intelligent observer
from IN. States that this opposition To change ~
wholly based on human avaricc and greed and
does not spring from any desire TO promote t"e
general good The almighty dollar H. at the bottom
Of il all
In endeavoring 10 persuade these Indians to takc
even a step H. the direction of Statehood the COM
mission had much 10 contend with much more IN
fact than they antlcipa,ed on their arrival here.