The evening times., 1896-02-19
Promise By President jackson
That Is Not Kept.
WHAT THE TRIBEsMEN WANT
They Look Upon the Plan to Allot
Them Land In Severalty With Dis
Are Governed by Their Own Laws.
POttawatomie's Representative.

Congressional legislation in favor OF the
tribes and the defeat of any bills unfavor-
able. -9-
The Indians used to come here In the care
of an Indian agent. Ten years ago Sitting
Bail was in Washington in charge OF Mr.
Anderson. They are now left to their own
control. "A Times reporter a few days ago
found Chief Harris of the Cherokees, a
large, finely proportioncd man, who might
easily be taken for an American citizen in
stead of auindian chief. His kindly yes told
no tale of bloodthirstiness, his conversa-
tiou was not even marked by the peculiar
ity of an accent dcnoting broken English.
He consented to introduce the reporter to
his comrades, but was at that moment GO
ing to the Capitol and would return in an
hour.
|, While awaiting his return The Times
representative went To an Indian boarding
house on Third street and found David
Zephier and Isaac Omaha, delegates from
the Sioux and the PottawatOmies. They
came from the Yankton agency, and are
i'll Washington In connection with certain
Sioux braves.
David was not very communicative mt
first, but after being led On a little ex-
planned the nature OF his business with the
Great Father. His statement revealed the
fact that at the YaDktOn agency there does
not exist between the members OF this
tribe the best relations. The Christian In
dians and the heather Indians are at con-
slant variance.
DIFFER ABOUT THE SUN DANCES.
The former do not believe II is right
for their more festive brethren TO indulge
in the sun and other dances. In order to
suppress this they brought 1t up at
m pf council which consists Of
all Indians without reference to condition.
The dancers outnumbered the civilized,
and dancing was not abolished. The Chris
tians appealed to the agent, according to
Mr.. Zephier, but that gentleman, being ex-
ceedingly fond nf such amusements, de-
clined to Interfere.
The Great Father must be seen, declared
these people, and accordingly IL was de-
cided to send Zcphier and Omaha TO lay the
case before the Indian Department. Money
was raised for that purpose and now the
delegation has arrived but is already con-
sidering plans for their return. Coming,
as they did, without the indOrscment of
the agent, or rather proper credentials,
the department has refused to counsel
with them and has advised their return.
2 J. Clardy. whose father was a Western
newspaper man, is the representative OF
the Pottawatoniies. He Is little man,
with broad light felt hat and American
manners and Costume. He is only half
Indian, hui is here TO have righted what he
considers a gricvOus wrong against his
Indian brothers.
There are overl 200 POttawatomies in the
West, and they have been voting for over
thirty years. For many years they have
held aIlotnients in Kansas, but being en-
titled by treaty to more land they were
given allotments by the government ofland
In Oklahoma. In Kansas these Indians
lob, slt
to relinquish for the purpose OF going TO
the new territory. The question came up
how best to operate their land in Oklahoma
for profit. 1t was decided to lease the
farms in the latter place 10 white men, but
hardly had this venture commenced before
the government interviewed an objection.
1t is for the purpose of changing this
decision that Clardy is at Washington.
When about TO depart from the boarding
house the proprietor suggested to the re-
porter that he expected some Usage and
Chickasaw Indians in town soon. ThcChip-
pewas had just departed Wednesday night.
CHEROKEES AT THE NATIONAL.
The newspaper man kept his engagement
with Chief Harris at the National Hotel.
and. taking the elevator, soon found his way
to the room where several red men We're in
council assembled. Red men. indeed:
among the entire delegations OF Cherokees.
two. Except for the redncss OF compie iexions
| and the real knowledge OF their nationality.
| it would have been difficult to have noted
| any difference between these men and the
| whites. Among them were two college
| graduates, also iawycrs-S. W. BenSe and
| c. j. Harris. of the Cherokee delegation,
| being only half-breeds.
The Indians now under consideration are
all members of the Five Civilized Tribes.
| They constitute rhe most powerful Congress
| sioDal Indian lobby that ever appeared in
| Washington. These Indians are as well
| educated as the residents OF the East. They
| have more say in the management of their
country than has the citizen of the District
of Columbia.
1t is not generally known that within the
| United Stafesthere is a nation in miniature
which enacts its own la VS.. Furnishes its own
| criminals. and dniaintains its itsOwninstitutOns
A nation composed OF five smaller natiOnsor
| States, one OF which is Is large as the State
| of Massachusetts. A nation where white
men are tabooed and have have no right be-
cause it is exclusively the property of the
| Five Civilized Indian Tribes, viz: The
| Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Seminoles,
and Chickasaws. A nation which has no
rival in the universe in the agricultural
| value of its lands: a nation which is rightly
| termed a paradise. Such is the Indian
| Territory, now under the control and gov
| country proposes To break its treaty rela-
| tions and institute over the Indians n white
mans territorigal form of government.
| This is the purpose of the IndianOla bill,
| which is Just now receiving the condemna-
| ton of the Indian delegations.
Mr.. BENGE ON THE INDIANOLA BILL.
1t was with intense ardor and earn estness
| that Mr.. BeBge proceeded to explain to
| The Times man why the Indianola bill is
Objectionable. To one who has not looked
into the subject II might seem greatly TO
| the advantage of the Indian to have
United States Territorial form of govern
claim that they have laws better adapted
to them and laws which no white man can
| find fault with. As Chief Harris proceeded
| to explain he handed the newspaper man n
CODY OF the constitution and laws OF the
| Cherokee Nation. The scribe opened it and
| the first sentence to meet his eye was:
"Section j, article 6, of the cOnstitu-
| tion.-No person who denies the being OF
a God or future state OF reward and pun
ishment shall hold any office in the civil
departnent of this nation" Does that
sound heathenisii. The reporter asked Mr..
4 Benge to tell OF their grievances, and he
said:
| "The trouble began when the Da wcs COM
mission was sent to us to report on the
feasibility of afioting lands in severalty
among the Indians. At present the land is
held in common. When the United States,
| either through Congress or commissioners,
drives the Indians to the alternative OF
| either accepting or rejecting allotment We
will be found advising our people to remain
as they are, both in tenure OF land and
tribal government. As Indians who love
| our country and one another we say to
| the United States:
a, xr,;l CO In mn mn.