Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-12-10
The Indian Territory.

the peculiar and complicated relation which
exists between the United States govern
ment and the "five civilized tribes" of the
Indian territory. Mr.. Dawes is the chair
man of the commission appointed by Con-
gress in 1893 to negotiate with those
tribes. His explanation is made of special
interest by President McKinley's discus
sion of the Indian territory question in his
annual message.
The five tribes or nations, as they call
themselves, claim that they owe no allie
glance to the United States, but have an
independent government of their own.
They have legislature similar to our own.
Every four years they elect a chief, whose
duties are similar to those Of our president.
They have Senate house Of Kings and
Senate house of Warriors, almost the same
as our Senate and House of Representa-
tives. They have a system of courts
supreme, superior and civil-similar to the
courts of the United States. They affect
to carry on their government on the pat
tern of our own. They assume they are
administering their affairs after the pat
tern of the United States government.
1t may be asked: "How came they
there? Five independent nations under
the flag of our country, and its constitu-
tionn' Some 70 years ago these five tribes
lived in Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Their lands were coveted by the white man
and the states set about making hostile
legislation and prosecuted the Indians so
severely that the United States was asked
to dispose of them.
Finally the United States went to the
tribes in these different states and induced
them to accept the great territory, then the
most western boundary of the United
States, in exchange for their lands. In
addition they were offel ed $4,000 and the
right to always govern themselves. They
were also promised that no territorial gov
ernment should be placed over them. The
United States also covenanted that the In
dians should own the land in common.
Each Indian should have the same right
TO the land as another. 1t was also COW
enanted that the 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 short time
he would be extinct. The idea of building
him up, educating and making citizen of
him is of the last Il years. The popula-
| SOC, 900 white men and 80, 0,000" "intruders,
as they are called. The 'intruders" are
men Of Indian blood who have come in
and claimed a share of the land. The
| 300 900 whites have been invited to come.
The Indian is lazy, and so long as he
can induce the white man TO till his land
on shares he is content. In this way the
Indian has become landlord and the white
man his tenant. The sudden growth of
| the southwestern states soon found the
Indian territory surrounded by states which
demanded transportation across the terri
tory. The Indians granted concessions,
and a railroad was built south across the
territory. Then another was brit from
east to west. There had to be -ations,
and new towns sprung up that became
populated by white people.
The self government by the Indians is a
menace TO our government. The whole
purpose of planting the Indians where
they are has been forgotten and perverted.
| The United States had intended TO let
them work out their own destiny. The
mixed bloods have come up, and govern
the country. They are intelligent and
crafty and have worked all sorts of shrewd
schemes for their own enrichment.
The Indian government is a refuge for
all criminals from justice from the states
about it. The governor of Arkansas has
made 10 acquisitions on the Indian terri
tory, and not one has ever been honored.
| The Judge of the United States court at
Fort Smith has sentenced 110 Indians to
be hanged in the past four years. Twelve
murders occurred in one day within few
miles of where the commission was stop
ping about year ago.
Nl,a
mission to the Indian territory to do two
things change their government and
change the titles to the land, that all In
dians might have the same allotment. II
is also important that the white men Of
the territory should have protection. The
work of the commission would have been
accomplished long ago had it not been
held back by the half-breeds whose gain il
is to have things remain as they are.
The United States has passed a law
which will take effect January l, 1898, un
less the tribes sign the treaty of the com
mission. This law will take from the In
dian government its criminal and civi
courts, which will have the effect of set
tling the question of the allotment o
lands, and will break up the tribal autono
my. The Boston Transcript in comment
ing on the subject editorislly says;
The Indian territory as at present gov
erned is the most successful trust in tn,
United States. About 45, 600 Indians con
troll the territory, which includes among it
inhabitants anywhere from 100000 u
250, 900 white people. These white peo
pie have no voice in making the laws un
der which they live and cannot acquir
title to the houses they build or the land
they till. The land of each tribe is il
theory held by the tribe as a whole, an,
leases are given of tracts which carry will
them any improvements placed thereon
In practice the land of each tribe is con
trolled by little knot or ''ring" of chief
outside this charmed circle are mere squat
ters. Those who have never been in tn
Indian territory may fancy that the Indial
chiefs are crested warriors of the forest
A brief stay in the territory will put al
end to any such impression. An lndial
chief in "the territory" looks a good dea
J like white man, dresses like one ant
makes money like one. Not infrequentl
he is either the actual head or secret back
er of big enterprise or he may have beel
bred TO the law. In any event he is
shrewd speculator who usually sees all tn
advantages of keeping up system whicl
7 gives him all the advantages and few o
! the burdens of a great landowner. Tn
rank and file of the Indians get nothin!
out of the territory but the right to squa
on such obscure corners of the land as th
chiefs have no present use for. Allotment
J in severalty which the Dawes commissio
are seeking to bring about would be TO
t the interest of the majority OF the Indians