Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1896-04-09


them, was to establish an Indian
government In which no one but
the Indian and his descendants
should have the right to vote, un-
less that right was conferred by the
Legislature. The legislature would,
of course. lie composed of Indians,
and they would have had their af-
fairs in their own hands We were
not then informed of the exact
condition of affairs there as we are
now or We would not have made
any such proposition. | say this
to show our friendly spirit-the in
terest we felt in them. This COM
mission never had other than a
friendly interest for the common
people of that country, and | now
think We are the only persons here
representing the common people
there. And | can make this mani
fest before | get through.
When we found that we could do
nothing with the tribal govern
ments there, and when this inter-
national convention had forestalled
any action upon their part, we
then opened our doors TO every one
II was new thing, and all the
people in that territory were much
lnterested-the citizen and the non
citizen, the Indian and the white
man; every kind OF resident was
interested, and we opened our
doors TO all, and they came and
talked with us. We shut our doors
against on one, no matter whether
red or white or black. In that way
We obtained information from all
classes and conditions of the peo
pie. But | will not address my.
self to that any further just now.
think | can show conclusively
to the committee that the condl-
tions in that territory nave not
been exaggerated by the report of
the commission. We have said
something about the corruplions of
the national governments there,
which has been questioned.
When We visited the convention
of the National party we found the
Indians encamped by spring in
the woods. That is their manner
OF oiholding conventions. They camp
in the woods by a spring for a week
or so-hold a kind of love feast
and make their nominations. We
addressed the people as pleasantly
as We could. We have always
talkt d TO them pleasantly. No one
can come from that territory aud
truthfully assert that ! ever uttered
an unkind word against any Of
them, either privately or publicly.
since | went there. | presented
these matters just as kindly as |
possibly could. Afterwards Mr..
Boudinot came TO me with others,
several councilmen, six or eight |
will say, and said to me: The
reasons you give do not seem 10
me 10 be sufficient for the govern
meht of the United States inter-
posing or intermeddling with our
affairs here. Have you any other
reason TO give?"
| said to him: Colonel Boudi-
not, this is kind of love feast of
your people and | have reirained
from mentioning anything here To-
day that | thought would be un-
pleasant 10 you gentlemen"
WELL" he said, "we insist up
on it. Have you any other rea-
sons? If so, we would like to
know what they are"
| then said: Il think the cor
existing in these govern
ments not only warrant the gov
eminent of the United States in
laying its hand upon affairs here,
but | think they absolutely require
the interposition of the United
States government for the protec-
tion of the common people"
"Well," he said, Twill you
please just mention some partlcu-
lar matter of corruption?"
Yes" | said, Il will do that.
1t was made the duty of your ma
tional council to locate the pay
ments of the Strip money in such
places as would be most conven-
lent 10 the people. " That was the
duty imposed upon them. They
were paid for their services. and it
was their duty to have done 20 will
lingly and cheerfully, and they
should have sought nothing but the
of their people. In
stead of that, however, they re-
luired the town of Vinita to pay .
lhem 81, 800 before they would To-
cate payment there. | said: |
Major Kidd was in that town at
he time that money was being |
raised, and it was asserted that the |
council would not locate pay
nent there if they did not raise
hat sum"
| said: THAT council bled the |
citizens OF the capital of your na-
ion just as long as they could get
. quarter of dollar out OF them,
md would not locate a payment
here unless they were paid"
He said: ''Oh, well, your legis
atures and your congress are just
Is corrupt as our legislature. They
would have done the same thing"
| said: No, Colonel, that is
lot true. That is the only reply
my of you make to these charges
If corruption. 1t is not true, and
loes no credit to the people who
make that charge" Then | un-
lertook to show that the legisla-
ure of Arkansas was not corrupt,
md told him that | judged the leg
slatures of other states by that of
ny own state. | then said: 80
ar as the congressman from the
tate of Arkansas are concerned