The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1895-08-14
FREEMAN AND rnE osAeEs.

gainly effort to get right with the In.
dian department Ia order that the |
wah .shah-she News may be suppressed |
and John Laahy, United States com
missioner at Pawhuska. by appoint |
ment from Judge Bierer, may be re-
moved from the nation. AS THE LEA
DER has reiterated time and again Free
man is an ignorant, unmitigated ass,
whose ambition runs TO oppression
aud whose glory is confined TO the uni
forGn on his body. Freeman's roign in
the Usage domain thus FAR has smaclSed
OF rank tyranny and the robbiug of
the full blood Indians COMMISSIONS r
Leahy, with others in the
nation cried out against the wrongs
inflicted by Freeman, and courageously
denounced his management of the gov
ernment schools at Pawhuska. Leahy
is an influential man and has rendered
much kindly advice TO the Usage citi-
zeas. This angered Freeman and he
now seeks the decapitation of Leahys
head. The Wah.sbah-she News is
weekly paper, edited by Usage Indians.
To illustrate the esteem in which
Freeman is held by 0sages we repro
duce the following extract from the
News Of last week;
"Flinehing under the criticisms of
the Wah-shah she News II. Il. Free
man, acting Indian agent for the
Osages, resorts to the power in him
reposed to stop the publication in this
paper Of any comment upon his official
acts
That he has the power to thus throt-
tie the liberty of the press in the Usage
Nation, we will not at this time gues-
tion. But the very fact that he wishes
TO silen ce all reference to his official
acts augers not well for the good judg
ment, propriety or honesty Of his OIL
cial acts. II. b. Freeman must in deed
be blind IL he fails TO see that the
course by him pursued will bring down
upon his head the censure of every
fair minded man and woman who be-
comes acquainted with the circum-
stances OF him IL will be said, who is
this monstrosity and where was he rear
ed and on what does he nourish, that
at the close of the nineteenth century,
in happy America, under the folds Of
the stars and stripes (tha, has been to
him bread aud butter) that he needs
must strangle freedom of speech aud
the liberty of the press Luckily the
editors OF the News are not bothered
with any cumbrous load OF religion, or
this HISTORIAN Grand Keeper Of the
relics OF bar birism, would draw forth
from the concealed and cobweb be-
ed dark age castle. the rack or iron
boot or similar torturing apparatus
aud apply them To the crown, or foot
or limb Of the News editors and crunch
out OF them their religious belief as he
wishes now TO smother within them
their opinions. Comment not says the
modern Nero. But suppose we do not
comment in very pity we must stand
10y and see the wrath of Nero lashed
TO whitened fury. when the truth
dawns on his burdened mind that he
is powerless TO stay the comments of
the press OF the Indian Territory, Ok
lahoma, Kansas and all the United
States. How meanly contemplate
y in this his official act then look Sent
to an Indian agency to enlighten In
dian youth and the first motto written
on the walls of their memory is down
with the liberty OF the press. What
will be the next lesson? Can II be
more horrible? God forbid, The
prime movers in the Haymarlset mas
sacre committed a great crime, so did
Guiteal, so did Pendergast Bat the
effects of their crime could not be so
ruin rus AS would be the effects of de-
nying freedom OF speech, and he who
has the po wer and abuses IL to the eN-
tent that he denies freedom Of speech
to his fellow man does humanity a
greater wrong than ever was done by
the acts of insane Guiteau and Pender-
CAST and the Haymarkst murderers.
One kills the body and frees the mind.
The other strives TO kill the mind and
entomb 1t in a living body. Comment
not says the modern Nero. Aud s won
dering world inquiries Of what is he
afraid. Are his interpretations Of law
so queer that they excite the laugh ter
{ 4 derision which 10 him is so banefuL
Or does petty and personal spite and
jealousy prompt his acts aad knowing
his own indrmities he seeks 10 hide
them. Or is il because OF their dis
honesty that he is fearful To LEI them
be seen by honest eyes These are the
queries that the world will make and
they are only natural We have nc
opinion 10 give no advi 'e 10 Offer Bat
II In the past we have maligned Mere
or without trath said anything dsfam
matory To his character or uttered one
fasehood that would red CT on ht
honor, we venture ihe inturmstior
that the libel laws OF ok kahoma are
peculiarly acceptable 10 ~ IN as he fol
under them he could prosecute wheih
er the statements were trne or not
Al Nefo's action we do not complain.
we have only feelings Of pity for one
so sadly out OF place 50 short sighted
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