Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-25

day it is delayed adds new complications
to a situation already apparently hope
lessly entangled.
The Cherokee nation presents d good 81
iustrat ton of what prevails in all the five
nations. The Cherokee population con-
sists of 120o0 full bloods, $1,000 breeds.
$500 negroes and 1000 adopted white citi-
ZenS. The history of the nation is full of
sentimental interest. but that is now a
matter of the past. The full-bloods are
all against allotment. They claim that
President Jackson gave them their land
and promised not to disturb them 80
long water runs and grass grows"
They are content TO let the breeds run
things for them to the gain of the breeds
so long as they themselves are undis-
turbed. The breeds, many of them, pro-
fess to be in favor of allotment They
realize 1t is coming. and are DESTROYS of
having it come in a way which will still
leave the management of tribal affairs in
their itching palms. They are going to
defer 1t. however. as long as possible. as
they are now the rulers and the money
makers, and by the advantage their cit
izenship gives them they are able to keep
the white man from competing with
them.
The Cherokees claim that before they
can be expected to agree to allotment the
government must settle all disputed
questions. The principal ones are. the adj
jucation of a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. indebt-
ednesS to the tribe from the government.
the expulsion of 5000 intruders on Indian
lands. Il repeal of a land grant of 100000
acres to the Missouri Kansas 4 Texas
Railroad. certain contentious with the
Delawares and Shawnees. payment by
the government of $500 per capita to re-
imburse the Indians for the expense of
moving farm improvements to comply
with new allotment land boundaries. pay
ment for land given the negro freedmen
and rent for the land occupied by the
SQuatterS or intruderS.
The Cherokees claim that the govern
ment's own experts found the tribe en-
titled to 5000. 900 more than it has on de-
poSit at Washington, and that the at
orney general disallowed the claim on a
trifiing technicality. Their claim that in
truders must be expelled is Just. and the
government is now putting them out.
There is no basis for alarm over the
claim of the Missouri. Kansas & Texas
Railroad, as the grant was only to go in
to effect when the title to the land should
revert to the government, which will
never be. The contentious with the Del
awares and Shawnees are matters for the
Federal courts. The claim of $500 per
capita for moving improvements is alb
surd. The Indians themselves in the
treaty of 1896 admitted the negroes to
full citizenship. which necessarily car
ried a land right. through Sam Houston
Benge. the only Indian living who signed
the treaty. says this was not the under
StduultlS at lHt ue tldlIl IOT rent
for good farming land occupied by the in
truders is possibly just. as the govern
ment contracted to remove these squat
tiers at the time the contract was made
for the sale of the Cherokeen Strip and
it has not done so.
All these things and others give ample
subject for discussion. and even after they
were all disposed of no treaty would be
ratified by the tribe. owing to the con-
troll of sentiment by men whose interests
are opposed to such ratification. The
Dawes commissioners. after four years
of negotiations, have acquired thor
ough knowledge of the situation. and
their opinion is that Congress should
dispose of the whole matter in Il compre-
hensive bill which would not require the
sanction of the Indians to make ii effec-
tive. The Indian Legislatures are cor
rupt. the tribal courts are a parody on
justice, and the negro and breed popu-
lation is increasing so rapidly in proper
tion to the increase among the full-boods
that the per capita share of land-money
of the latter is being rapidly reduced
with every passing year.
On January l. 1898. the law of June I.
1897, goes into effect in the territory.
This law takes all power from the tribal
courts except in matters of probate. 1t
also gives the President of the United
States jurisdiction over all tribal legis-
lation. This robs the Indian citizens of
their broadcast home rule and they are
going to fight the law in the courts on
the ground that it violates treaty rights.
They forget that in 1868 they violated all