Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-02-13
THE DAWES 0onMIssIoN BILL.

of Massachusetts,. 1t is sweeping
in its provisions and will about
wipe up the tribal governments in
this territory if it becomes a law.
A howl of rage will now GO up
from monopolists and "Indians for
revenue" throughout this country,
and the little punny two by four
newspapers that are subs idized
by the above named class will
spew their venom far and wide.
But the ultimate result will be the
same, for congress will pass this
or a similar measure before the
summer solstice. There are some
things about this proposed Dawes
bill that a great many Indian citi-
zens will object to, but there are
also many things about the pres
ent tribal governments that great
many people object to, and are
sorely displeased with, so it is at
least a standoff in that particular.
To recite the causes that have led
up to the sending of the Dawes
commission here by the United
States government would fill a
good sized book: but that there
were causes and sufficient reasons
for the action of the United States
government needs no demonstra-
ton.
The Dawes bill has been pre-
pared and introduced largely for
the benefit of the indians of this
territory, and whether they ever
see it that way or not makes very
little difference at this stage of the
game. Congress could do no wiser
thing than send the Dawes CON-
mission here with full power and
authority to settle the whole thing
Under the provisions of the bill a
great, and it may be a dangerous
power, is delegated few men, but
somebody must be clothed with
authority sooner or later to do this
very thing, snd Senator Dawes
and his colleagues are better pre-.
pared to do it than any like num-
Der of men in the United States.
Ii the commission has misrepre-
sented the Indians it has been
largely the fault of the Indians
themselves for not furnishing them
with correct information. The
truth is, il the commission had
known some things that are true
a. regards the methods of some of
our officials it would have made a
report that would have "astonish-
ed the natives" for we all know
that they didn't tell half that
might have been told.
The reason the government pro-
poses to allot the lands of the five
tribes is because a few of their
citizens are monopolizing the coun-
try TO the exclusion of the younger
and poorer members of the tribe,
and they refuse to remedy the
evil or curb the monopoly them
selves. The cattle men and the
Office holders have chad a picnic"
out Of this country about long
enough, and the congress of the
United States has at least heard
the cry of those who have been i'm
posed upon SO long, and the day
of reckoning is near at hand. The
"swan- song" of the two classes
mentioned will never mislead con-
gress more, and to make a long
story short, The CHIEFTAIN, as one
whose interest is here alone, and
as citizen whose welfare is in
seperable from that of other citi-
zens of the Cherokee nation, states
most emphatIcally that it is III
favor of the Dawes bill with some
few amendments becoming a law,
and would rather trust the notori-
Gus and much abused Dawes CON-
mission than the Cherokee nation
al council, any day in the year.
For years the capital of this ma
ton has been a veritable sink-hole
of official venality. Citizenship in
this nation has been brought OPEN
ly from mercenary councillors and
occasionally circuit judge takes a
hand in selling out his country.
Corruption at Tahlequah has as
sumed every form that will yield
plunder. and good citizens have
stood agast at the saturnalia of cor
ruption that lie apparent on all
sides. The boodlers have from
time to time pooled their issues
in the great spoils. and the courts,
along with the council, have
perverted for money, and the
channel of justice turned into cess
pools of bribery, and a menace to
the liberties of the people and a
travesty upon jurisprudence. Last
session of the national council wit
messed the sad spectacle of Judge |
of one of the largest circuits in the |
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