The evening times., 1896-02-19

incapability OF the Indian, It really is a
movement in the interest OF the squatter
and boomer. In the exceeding wealth and
beauty OF that country lays the secret of
| the plot to rob the Indian OF his Inheritance.
The Indian Territory patent is most beau
| uful country, covered with deep, dark
loan, broken by many fine streams. clothed
| with luxuriant vegetation, laughing over
| the glorious wealth of Its great farms,
and elsewhere dotted with Its splendid
| forests.
| The Cherokee nation alone has 22, 600
| Indians, 5000 negroes, and 5000 whites
Their government is divided into the ex-
ecutive, legislative, and judicial branches.
| They have principal chief and assistant
principal chief, national treasurer and
| elected editor OF The national newspa :,
| court with the chief Justice and two 500
| ciates, and council composed OF two
bodies. The lands are held in common.
Each man controls what he holds and pays
no taxes upon it.
The revenue from the peoplc are derived
from funds invested i'll our government
bonds, from merchants. ferrymen, Ia wycrs,
pcrddlers, couples seeking marriage, the
| sale of strayed stock and the ro oyalties upon
| coal, lead and sand. They have IL writ
| ten language, formed by an alphabet of
eighty-four letters, and in that are printed
the New Testament, some OF the Psalms,
| few hymns, n primer. tracts the laws,
| and half the weekly Issue OF the national
| newspaper.
| Only English is taught in the schools. no
desire being shown to perpctuate Indian
memories and customs.
The SeminOles have two high schools.
male and female, which cost them $4,000
| each, not one cent of the cost being borne
| by the United States. The CherOkees have
shown themselves the most progressive OF
the five tribes, and are doing the bulk of the
work which is sanctioned and concurred
| in by the other delegates.
TALK WITH CHIEF HARRIS.
Chief Harris said: There is no necessity
| for town site Ia i'll the Cherokee Ma
tion. We have half a score or more OF
| beautiful towns in the Cherokee Nation,
! beautifully and symn,etricIlly surveyed,
! containing many substantial. and even fine
| structures, all the work of the Indian cit.
| iZens. We have municipal government,
run by ma yorand board of aldermen.
| Our country is, indeed, fair to look upon.
To us its. lovely valleys. limpid streams,
Towering prairies, waving forests and
| grand hills, are an Eden.
| There, over fifty years ago, with PROM
| ises OF everlasting protection, the Uni;ed
| States planted us. literally driving us from
| our homes in the mountains OF Georgia..
Tennessee and North Carolina. AS long as
| grass grows and water runs wrote Gen.
| jackson, shall the country remain yours
| The words Of your minister. who induced rs
| to go to that country-and his were en-
| grated into the treaty-werc No State or
| Territorial line shall ever surround you.'
NOW, after the lapse OF fifty years, when
| the bodies of those who made these prom
iscs have been consigned to the tomb, you,
| their children, tell us, the children with
| whom they treated, that your parent said
not mean all they said. You tell us what we
cannot believe-that Webster. Calhoun.
| Clay and Jackson were anything but earnest
| In their assurance of permanent country.
| The names OF those gentlemen are enshrined
in our hearts; they are our heroes OF liberty
| and truth. as well as yours. The abolish
ment OF our form OF government and the al
| lotment of lands. means great deal OF fnc
| squatter and intruder, for the boomer and
| the speculator. IL is a scheme to allow specu
| lation with our lands at our expense. What
can you give us. when land is degraded TO
| speculation and monopoly, but prccipitate
us into the midst OF this mad struggle for
| gain-the ruling passion OF your civilization.
LIVE AS THEY SEE FIT.
"AH we ask is the right at our own ex
| pense, upon land to which we hold your
| strongest title, patent vested in us aud
our descendants TO live as VIC see fit, par
| ticularly when we are governing our people
| by laws patterned after those OF the United
| States"
he marries an Indian girl. cannot become
| a citizen of the Indian nation. Among the
CherOkccs an essential 10 such a marriage
| is the securing by the man OF written
| Endorsement signed by ten reputable neigh
| bors in tie vicinity of the girls home. Such
marriages bring more 10 tie white man
| than his wife. IL gives HIM without en-
| cumbrance as much land rs he can mauage'
| and control" -l-
The delegation called The Times atten-
| ton 10 another gross violation of many
! treaties. For years tie Indians have been
| annoyed by white sCTaticrs, who illegally
| come into the Indian Territory aud take
| mp land. The Indian courts have no tur-
| istiiction in such n ease; ;iBcirnowcrcxtends
! only between Indian and Indian. The
| Cherokee nation appealed to the Indian
| Department 10 eject the intrudcrs, and
| after some controversy il was agreed 10
| no so, provided tie Indians paid the vaiuc
| of the improvements put upon the property.
| A meeting of the council was called and
| the proposition accepted by the Indians.
| The Interior Department appointed a com
| mission of apprliscmcDt, which appraised
| uincty-onc improvements OF lntruders at
| a total value Of SOS S,645-36. which amount
| was promptly appropi 'aicd by the Chero-
! Ecc nation OF this sum the treasurer paid
| S39, ,541 80 to the iHtru ders, the retention
| of the renla inder being The result of the re-
| msal of several intrIders to accept ii. Du-
| pIicatc receipts were sent the Indian De-
/ ua rtment, which, however, still refused to
| eject the intruders. As n result of this the
| Irdinns are out their money and lands, too.
The game of buncombe was not worked
| by Irdian.a gents, hut rather by the Indian
| department.
| WHITE MEN SHOULD KEEP FAITH.
| II was while this conversation was going
| on that John Jumper, an old Seminole
| chief, entered, accompanied by Mr. u. A.
| Alexander OF the Greek nation.
Jumper is a past chief and man of
considerable importance in his tribe. Not
| withstanding the fact that he Is ninety
| nine years old. he is hale and hearty
looking, OF powerful physique and active
| mind 1t was without any hesitancy he
| recalled events of the Seminole outbreak
| in Florida in 1912. Jumper cam OF speak
a word OF English and it was through Mr..
! Alexander that conversation was main
| tained. At the mention of the Seminole
outbreak his face lighted up and he evinced
| much interest in answering any queries.
| He said he was fifteen years old at the
| time and wanted to accompany the men
| TO fight, but was not allowed. They only
| picked the best men. The trouble was
| brought about by the action Of the whites
| in irving to drive the Indians out OF the
| country.
Chief Harris aud Mr.. Benge intimated
| that the first step the government should
| take toward change OF government is TO
| settle mp all ba OK accounts and carry out the
| promises now unkcpt. When this is done
| the Indians will consider any other lnten-
| tions, hut not until il is. They want clean
| page with which to begin anew
II the white men had let the Indian
| ,loou tbere never wOuld have been aDy