Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-03-05

sSHldtlNes VI tue I'VE lTlDeS, tDeS
have confessed it openly and viii
. confess if now. They went on tha
commission believing that the
Dawes report was mistake, thai
it was made with wrong idea Of
the then existing conditions. They
visited that country by direction
of the president and spent consid.
erable time there. They endeav.
ored to negotiate with these people
10 improve the existing conditions,
and they came back not only in
dorsing the former reports, but
saying the condition of things in
that territory were far worse than
as described in that report, and
they urged upon congress the most
radical legislation looking to the
uprooting of these little tribunals
and governments in that territory
that are upheld by the strong arm
of fear of public plunder
They found the fact to be that
the little Indian courts there, in
tended for the protection of the
people, had become machines to
intimidate and rob them. Thus
we have these three unanimous
reports made by MEN who have
gone and Investigated the situa-
lion on the ground, and as Senator
Dawes said this morning in a
speech before The committee on
Indian affairs, either these reports
are correct or the men who repre-
sented the government upon these
several commissions were ignorant
or dishonest, and | think no man
can well question that proposition.
OF the men who are sent
here to represent these Indian
tribes | know many personally. L
have no quarrel with them They
are prompted only by that law
which so operates that when you
get your hand into the public crib
somebody else will have to take it
out other than yourself. Laugh
ter These little Indian govern
ments are ruled and maintained
by the men who have that country
in control, not by the common ln-
dian. He is of in the valleys or
upon the mountain sides.
In this connection | want to read
a statement, made by the head of
the delegation. showing how the
great chief of the Cherokee nation
respects the findings of the honor
able men who went out there as
commissioners to represent this
government and, after proper inves-
tigation, made their report to con-
gress. In a letter to the New York
Sun. under date of January % 1896,
he says:
The Dawes commission visited the Indian
Territory last year. remained at comfortable
hotels on the railroads where noncitizens re-
side and control the business. and the news
papers published there took the statements
of our enemies and made report containing
statements wholly at variance with the truth.
They picture US as lawless band of robbers
corrupt In every department. which L desire
to brand as lie las false as HI"
Thanking you again in behalf OF the five
tribes in the Indian Territory
Principal Chief, Cherokee nation.
This is the polished language of
the chief OF cne of these great gov
ernments we are asked to maintain.
This is the character of the argu-
ments with which he meets the
statements of these public officials
whose lives are known TO be with
out blemish and whose abilities
have been acknowledged through
out the nation.
Now, Mr. Chairman, | have no
contest with this great chief, but |
propose to introduce witnesses to
this congress who will not only
vindicate the reports of these COM
missioners, bat will show that they
have not told half the truth. an
nounce ii here as fact that since
the 4th day of last March, when
congress adjourned, there have
been, approximately, $50 murders
committed within the boundaries
of that territory. That number
may not strike gentlemen here
very fOrcibly, but it is a regiment
of people who, in one territory, in
less time thaa one year; have gone
down in death either in personal
conflict or by the assassin's bullet.
If | desired to occupy your time |
could name 260 of these victims, !
names culled from the various
newspaper reports, taking no ac-
count of the great number of cases
in that country that never find J
heir way to the newspapers, max /
ng an aggregate approximating-l
10 not know how to approximate I
I, but, to say the least OF it, num- !
Der appalling to every man who !
respects social order, the rights of l
and the sacredness of q
human life G
The gentleman at this point of e
lis address read The CHIETTAIN's i
EDITORIAL on the Dawes bill, pub q
ished with a synopsis of that t
Measure, and also from other pa C
,ers within and outside the terri Y
ory. Continuing, he said: e
Now, | want to say to this house I
bat with the conflict of jurisdic- t
ion in the court there, with the O
thousands of white people in that i
errit0ry without law or govern {
nent, we cannot expect or hope e
else than for raid after 4
aid to follow. Remember that {
he children of these 250,000 white e
,eople have not the benefit of v
Dublic schools, or of any education II
xcept such as their parenis may
,e able to give them, and yet they e
must furnish the blood for that {
ountry; and must it be the pro 6
,res,ive, educated American cit 4
zel's blood, or must it be the p
poisoned blood of the criminal? \
n the face of the history of this f;
we cannot afford to stand |