The record-union., 1897-12-07
INDIAN TERRITORY.
Change in the System of Govern
ment Needed There.

For number of years past it has
been apparent that the conditions un-
der which the five civilized tribes were
established in the Indian Territory un-
der treaty provisions with the United
States, with the right of self govern
ment and the exclusion of all white
persons from within their borders, have
undergone so complete a change as to
render the continuance of the system
thus inaugurated practically impossi-
BILE
The total number Of the five civilized
tribes. as shown by the last census, is
o,494, and this number has not ma
te1Eally increased, while the white pop
ulation is estimated at from 200, 900 to
2500UO, which, by permission of the
Indian Government, has settled in the
Territory. The present area of the In
dian Territory contains 1864. .564
acres, much OF which is very fertile
land.
The United States citizens residing in
the Territory, most of whom have gone
there by invitation or with the con-
sent of the tribal authorities. have
made permanent homes for themselves.
Numerous towns have been built. in
which from 500 to 5000 white people
now reside. Valuable residences and
business houses have been erected in
many Of them. Large business enter
priSes are carried on, in which vast
sums of money are employed, and yet
these Teople who have invested their
capital in the development of the pro-
ductivs resources of the country are
without the title to the land they oc-
cupy, end have no voice whatever in
the Government Of either of the nations
or tribes.
Thousands of their children, who We're
born in the Territory, are of school age
but the doors of the schools of the ma
tions are shut against them, and what
education they get is by private con-
tribution- No provision for the pro
lection Of the life or property of these
white citizens is made by the tribal
Governments and courts.
The Secretary Of the Interior reports
that leading Indians have absorbed
great tracts of land, to the exclusion
of the common people, and Government
by an Indian aristocracy has been
practically established, to the detri-
ment of the people. It has been found
impossible for the United States to
keep its citizens out Of the Territory
and the executory conditions contained
in treaties with these nations have for
the most part become impossible of ex-
ecution, had 1t been possible for the
tribal Government to secure each fndi-
vidual Indian his fun enjoyment in
common with other Indians of the COM
mon property Of the nations. Friends
of the Indians have long believed that
the best interests Of the Indians Of the
five civilized tribes would be found in
American citizenship, with all the
rights and privileges which belong to
that condition.
WORK OF THE INDIAN COMMIS-
SION.
In section 16 of the Act of March
3, 1893, the President was authorized
to appoint three Commissioners to enter
into negotiations with the Cherokee.
Choctaw, Chicasaw, Muskogee Tor
CreeD and Seminole nations. common
ly known as the FIVE civilized tribes
in the Indian Territory. Briefly. the
purposes OF the negotiations We're the
extinguishment of the tribal title to
any lands within that territory now
held by any and all of such nations or
tribes, either by cession of the same or
some part thereof to the United States
or by allotment or by the division of
same in severalty among the Indians
of such nations of tribes, respectively.
as may be entitled 10 the same, or by
such other method as may be agreed
upon between the several nations and
tribes aforesaid, or each of them, with
the United States. with view to such
an adjustment upon the basis of JUS
tiee and equity as may, with the con-
cent Of the said nations of the Indians.
so far as may be necessary, requisite
and suitable to enable the ultimate ere
alton of a State or States of the Union
which shall embrace the lands within
said Indian Territory.
The commission met with much OPP
position from the beginning The In
dians We're very slow to act, and those