Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-06

ders, have undergone so complete a change
as to render the continuance of the system
thus inaugurated practically impossible.
The total number of the Five Civilized
Tribes, as SHOWN by the last census, is A.
434, and this number has not materially in
creased; while the white population is esti-
mated at from 100000 to 100000, which by
permission of the Indian Government has
settled i'll the Territory. The present area
OF the Indian Territory contains q, 694 564
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 consent 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 resi-
dences and business houses have been erec-
ted in many of them. Large business en-
terprises are carried on in which vast sums
OF money are employed, and yet these peo-
pie. who. have invested their capital in the
development of the productive resources of
the country, are without title to the land
they occupy and have no voice whatever in
the government either of the Nations or
tribes. Thousands of their children who
were born In the Territory are Of school
age, hut the doors of the schools of the
Nations are shut against them and what
education they get is by private contribu-
ton. No provision for the protection 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 aris-
tccracy has been practically established,
to the detriment of the people. 1t has been
found impossible for the United States to
keep It's citizens out of the Territory and
the eAecutory conditions contained in the
treaties with these Nations have for the
most part become impossible of execution
Nor has 1t been possible for the Tribal
Governments to secure to each individual
Indian his full enjoyment in common with
other Indians of the common 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 ccrdition.
by section 16 Of the Act of March 3, 1893,
the president was authorized to appoint
tnree commissioners to enter into negotia-
uons with the Cherokee. Choctaw. Chicka-
saw, Muscogee Tor Creek and Seminole
Nations, commonly known as the Five
Civilized Tribes in the Indian Territory.
brieny, the purposes of the negotiations
were to be: The extinguishment of Tribal
tltieO 10 any lands within that Territory
now held by any and all such Nations or
Tribes, either by cession of the same or
some part thereof to the United States, or
by allotment and division of the same in
severaity among the Indians of such Ma
lions or Tribes respectively as may be enti-
tieo 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
Justice and equity as may. with the con-
sent OF the said Nations of Indians SO far
as may be necessary, be requisite and suit
able to enable the ultimate creation of
State or States Of the Union which shall
embrace the lands within said Indian Ter
ritory.
The Commission met much opposition
from the beginning. The Indians were very
slow to act and those In control manifested
decided disinclination to meet with favor
the propositions submitted to them A HIT
tie more than three years after This or
sanixation he Commission effected an
agreement with the Choctaw Nation alone
The Chickasaws, however, refused to nsree
to Its terms. and a. they have q common
interest with the Choctaws In the lands Of |