The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-12-14
BROWN HAS HIS OWN CURRENCY
Lo, the Poor Indian rs Tricked Says
Delegate Ftynn,

WASHINGTON, Dec. IA, 1895.-Delegate
Flynn of Oklahoma, when asked Today if
he knew of any movement among the
Indians to prevent the opening of the
Indian Territory, replied that he under
stood that all five of the civilized tribes
would have representatives here this
winter to oppose such measure. Con-
ditions in the Territory, Mr. Flynn said,
must be changed. There were now 800,
900 whites and about $4,000 Indians in the
territory and they were without schools,
churches or laws. Three-fourths of the
territory was controlled by about 100 men
who claim to be Indians. These men
range from one-sixteenth to one-sixty-
fourth Indian. Some of them have as
much as 100 miles of land fenced in as
pasture. The men who control these large
tracts suitcase it to the whites, and it
is not uncommon to find one of these So
called Indians with 200 white tenants.
This is the class which objects to open
ing the territory and insists that treaty
obligations shall be observed,
Citing a case, Mr.. Flynn said that the
Seminoles, having a population of
about 1900. received from the United
States. about $4,000 annually. This
money is paid to Jackson Brown. Treas
urer of the nation. Brown does not pay
the money received to the Indians but
disburses currency of his own. re-
garded as superior to the currency. of
the United States. This consists OF or
ders for goods on Browns stores. AS
he runs the only stores in the nation
and will allow no others to be established
you see how the thing works. In this
way the territory is monopolized by a
few who are fast becoming millionaires.
They run things. and you can easily see
why they want no change
Referring to another case. he said tnat
in the Choctaw Nation, in order to get
rid of the whites. a few of these in
duential men had the council to pass
an ordinance making it treason, punish
able by DEATH to employ a white man;
also treason to advocate the allotment
of lands. If the Choctaw Nation was
divided, they would get about 26e acres
per capita. Recently l met a New York
man who had married Choctaw girl.
and now has five children. He was op-
posed to the allotment of land. When
l asked him why, he replied that If lands
600 acres, while at present he controlled
about so miles of valuable coal land. He
wanted protection on this. This is the
way it goes.
was as thickly settled as any of the far
western States. Good farms abounded,
and there were many towns of from five
to six thousand inhabitants. Railroads
in the Territory charge five cents per
mile, while the same roads outside
charge but three cents per mile.
Last year the Dawes Commission made
an effort to treat with the Indians for
the allotment of lands, but were unslpe-
the Indians. It was met by the "fs-
vored few and ignored. This. class con-
trols the courts and councils. practi-
cally owns everything, and Of course
wants to be let alone. The 10000 whites
want change which will give them
laws and protection, and they must have
1t.
Mr.. Flynn has introduced and will en-
deavor to have passed a bill which he
thinks will do justice to all It makes
alIetments compulsory and gives to each
lawful inhabitant of the territory 16C
acres of land; requires the government
all Indians citizens of the United States
and amenable to the Federal laws and
not to the laws .of-the. tribes. This, Mr..
Flynn thinks, will do justice to the poor
ssblanket Indian who cannot speak
English and who lives in the hills and
has no voice in the affairs of the terri
tory.