Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-06
ANOTHER STATE
Seen BY Senator Dawes, Where Now Indians
Fall 10 Govern.

man of the Dawes commission, spoke
on 1.-The Indians of the Indian Terri
tory" before the teachers of the pubic
schools OF Pittsfield, Mass, Tuesday
afternoon
Mr.. Dawes talk. coming. as 1t did. on
the eve of the announcement that tire
Chocktaw and Chickasaw Indians had
determined to sell their lands in the In
was of special interest.
In opening his address Senator
Dawes made the distinction between
the Indians Of the West and the In
dams of the Indian Territory. He said
when one reads Of the Indians OF the
West he must not confound them with
the Indians of the Indian territory. The
terms are separate and distinct, Orig
inally the Indian territory was conf
posed of what Is now known as Okla
homa territory and the Indian terri
tory. Gradually the land was appor-
toned by the government, and bought
of the Indians, to such an extent that
the territory of Oklahoma has been or
ganized, as a territory of the United
States.
Indian territory is occupied by five
civilized tribes. called nations. They
are organized az a government Of five
nations.
When Kansas became a state /.
wanted to get rid of the Indian. like all
preceding states, and for this purpose
the Indian territory was organized.
The United States has had the habit
of buying off the Indian from time to
time, and this was done in this in
stance. and the Kansas tribes migrated
to the Indian territory
Indian territory has an area Of 80 .000
square miles. 1t is four times as large
as the state of Massachusetts, and
about the same area as that of Indi-
ana. 1t is a beautiful country. with all
kinds of climate. 1t has cotton belt
on the south. a wheat belt on the
north and west. the finest coal beds il;
the southwest. and indications of ex-
tensive coal oil wells II has the prob
ability of being one of the most wealthy
and influential states of the future.
The country belongs to the five civil
lied nations of Indians. They have
governments of their own. Whatever
enterprises or business transaction ar
carried on in this vast territory. they
are done by the Indian or by white
men who have their sanction. The In
dian population is from $1,000 10 $1,000
made up of the pure Indian blood half
breeds and white men who have mar
ried Indian women and have becom.
Indian citizens by marriage.
-
The five tribes, or nations. as they
call themselves. claim they owe no allie
glance to the United States Although
they live under our flag. they claim
the right to govern themselves. They
have a Legislature similar to our own
Every four years they elect chief
whose duties are similar to those Of
our President. They have a Senate
House Of Kings and a Senate House Of
Warriors. almost the same as our Sen
ate and House of Representatives
They have a system of courts-supremc
superior and civil-simiar to the courts
of the United States. They affect to car
ry on their government on the pattern a.
our own They assume they are admins
tering their affairs after the pattern OF
the United States government.
II may be asked: How came They
there? Five independent nations under
the flag of our country. and its constitu-
ton,
Some 30 years ago these five tribes lived
in Georgia Kentucky and Tennessee.
Their lands were coveted by the white
man, This has always been the case in
the history of the Indian. The states set
about making hostile legislation and per-
secuted the Indians so severely that the
United States was asked to dispose OF
them. In Georgia law was passed MAX
ing it a penitentiary offence TO teach tn,
Indian the bible.
Finally the United States went to the
tribes in these different states and in
duced them to accept the great territory
then the most western boundary of the
United States. in exchange Tor theil
lands. In addition they We're offered S6n1J
and the right to always govern them
selves. They We're also promised that no
territorial government should ever be
placed over them. They were to forever
have an outlet ten miles wide as far as
the boundary of the United States should
ever extend.
The United States also covenanted that
the Indians should own the land in COM
mon. Each Indian should have the same
right the other. 1t was also coven-
anted that white men should be kept out
of the territory forever. That was the
undertaking.
AT that time it was thought the fate
of the Indian was sealed. and in Il short
time he would be extinct. The idea OF