Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-17

fairs in Indian Territory Is nationally d1S-
graceful Crime is common, as it Is In COM
munities where there are no Indians, ana
in certain localities this Is conspfcuously
so, but there Is no reason that Appeals
to the well-balanced mind that can fairly
be based upon the doctrine OF Indian
laches. 1t Is mere nonsense to say that
the Indian dragged into his territory the
two hundred and fifty thousand or three
hundred thousand white men who are now
permanent residents; absurdity could
scarcely go farther than the oft-made
claim that the Indians petitioned railroad
companies to come in and acquire rights
of way through the ground which the
United States once declared to be sacred
to the Indian. The plain, unvarnished fact
Is that the United States government per-
mitted those white men to enter the terri
tory. although it had solemnly covenanted
to prevent such entry, while every wide
awake Senator or Representative or con-
gressional onlooker knows how Indian
Territory railroad bills were worked
through committees and Congress until
they found place among the nations
statutes. A contention Of the advocates
of allotment in severalty and statehood
is that "the present growth of the coun-
try and it's present relations to this terri
tory were not thought of nor even dreamed
of by either party when they entered into
these StipulationS. The resources
of Indian Territory have been developed
to such a degree and are of such an i'm
mense and tempting value that they are
attracting to 1t an Irresistible pressure
from enterprising citizens. The executory
conditions contained in the treaties have
become impossible Of execution. 1t Is no
longer possible for the United States to
keep it's citizens out Of the territory" If
this Is not confession of weakness, where
will one be found? 1t Is also the milk in
the cocoanut; the Ethiop in the woodpile.
But 1t Is the backbone Of statehood argu-
ment nevertheless. 1t is white mans
argument-selfsh throughout and lacking
in everything that possesses a conscien-
tious characteristic. With one breath the
so-called reformers tell US that the full
blood Indian in the territory Is degraded
and poor; deprived of his rights by the
tough element which unquestionably dom
mates things in that neighborhood just
now. In another breath we are informed
that the best thing that could happen for
that Indian is to burn up the already over
turned fence, mix all these thirty thousand
poor ignorant savages up with white or
halfbreed "rustlers,'' and let the f1ttest
survive The real remedy-to clean out the
unlawful occupan.s-is not suggested. for
such proceeding would leave one of the
fairest garden spots on the continent in
the hands Of the Indians; 1t Is so much
easier to confess that the government
which we proudly claim to be the greatest
and strongest ofss1S,the governments on
the face of the earth is not powerful
enough to keep its word. That This gov
ernment is at liberty to abrosate the treat
les Is unquestioned. but it Is the liberty
of might in the interests of the mighty.
The Star has already printed excellent tes-
timony as to the existence of a selfish
conspiracy against the five civilized tribes;
1t Is astonished that those who have la
bored long and faithfully in behalf of In
dian civilization should now play into the
hands of land SchemerS.