The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1896-04-09
CHOCTAW INDIAN LANDS.
The Attorney General CrItieIzes Things
Now Being Done aud Predicts Trouble
~ They arc Continued.

\ Herald reporter met Judge G.. :.
Nin>un. Encouragement Of the ChOc-
taw Nation. at the Union depot this
morning. Judge NinSOu j. one OF t4le
most prominent men in the ChOctaw
Natiuu. and has served AT various
times a circuit judge. president of
the council. district attorney aud new
as encouragement. lie talked quite
freely OF affairs ia the territory. and
among other things said:
Il ann flatly opposed 10 the rccum-
mendatiunS of the Dawes commission.
a> are majority Of my people. The
Indians are getting along pcaccah.y.
quietly and progressively and the ii!-
positions that the Dawes commission
would thrust upon Us are 1aiaut H.
suits, and add Insult tu injury. oar
laws may be faulty. but what liN>
are not? When man commits "a
crime ia the Churtaw \a,inu hc j.
certain To bc punished a> he Is in aav
state in the Jnion. True. We >uu,r-
times mete out quick punishment
when notorious thief j. caught nr q
murderer needs immediate attention.
hu; Justice is thr rhicci aimed az. ard
wc never punish au innocent mai.
Tho Dawes commission i not iutcuC-
eel for the bcitermcui ul the lnd,at>
or whites. bat i u p.c,c az spite work
% haraS> the Indians and take their
possession, from ti;cm uulaWniiy. n
the commission hill pd>~g> and the
lands are allotted. there j. sure 10 g..
trouble. ami nO man cinavuid ID. Tie
Indians look upon the lands they
,ccuIy a. their rigil;fui possessions.
and 10 seems that their efforts at SELF
government have 80 FAR hccu a> >tc-
cc~~rul a~ amy other people. cHvir"s-
mcnt considered.
For several days now the federal
officers have been setting STONES aud
olazIGg trees. preparatory io tl;c ailDl-
met; uf he lands. 80 questions are
asked. but these agents az ih, federal
government 20 into the premises and
without amy prciimiuaric> 20 ahead
with the work 81 surveying and plat
ting thc land as il the Dawes COM
mission were already un the statute
bIuk> Tho rights OF the Indians are
l:>rc-arl,'d and tine country j. being
1vt;-run with mel who are planning
to obtain the best lands in the ter
ritury regardless nf law. This seems
ju De an injustice and j. already
stirring up bad blood among the pco-
plc. whir.i Will cdu>e serious trouble.
I hr CuoCjawS are not in favor uf
the Dast~ bill. aud stand almc>t "a
unit against 30. The men vino favor
il are those who have been allowed to
come into the Indian country and
locate. This class of citizens and the
lca>e-holdcrS are the ones who are
making the trouble. II ungreSSman
Culber>uu or any Of the Texas men,
bcrS had a commission 10 come into
oar country aud inspect its laws and
conditions We feel sure that there
would bc different report. Tie
Chuctaw- would al least feel like they
would get justice. We feel kindlier
toward Texas than any else, for in
times past they have been our best
friends. Meetings have been held all
over the territory To take action
against the recommendations Of the
+ Dawes commission. and we have rep
rcSentativeS az Washington tu look
after our interests. The surveying of
the land and placing of stones tu marx
the location of blocks aud sections
has aroused our people. and they have
gone 10 work a. they never did before
10 stop the meddling with their
governmental affairs by United States
surveyors. '-Deni>nn Herald. April =