Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-12-11

ter to the attention of congress. Access:
to that country this winter can be hat
only on ny the ! passes ost frGm DTea ana and Tiein
an impossible task. However, should
these reports of the suffering of our fe!
low citizens be further verified. every ef-
fort at any cost should be made to carry
them relief.
THE FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES.
work of the Dawes Commission ill
Indian Territory.
For a number of years past it has been
apparent that the conditions under which
the five civilized tribes Were established
in the Indian Territory, under treaty pro-
visions with the United States with the
right of government and the eNclus-
ion 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 i'm
possible.
The total number of the five civilized
tribes, as shown by the last census is 10,
Asa. and this number has not materially
increased while the white population is
estimated at from 100000 to 100000, which,
by permission of the Indian government.
has settled in the territory. The present
area of the Indian Territory contains 25.
69l.564 acres. much Of which is very fer
tile land. The United States citizens re-
siding in the territory, most of whom have
sent of the tribal authorities. have made
permanent homes for themselves. Num-
ero!ls towns have been built in which
from 500 to 5000 white people now reside.
Valuable residence and business houses
have been erected in many of them. Large
business enterprises are carried on in
which vast sums Of money are employed
and yet these people, who have invested
their capital in the development Of the
productive resources of the country, are
without the title to the land they occupy
and have no voice whatever i'll the gov
ernment either Of the nations or tribes.
Thousands of their children who Were
born i'll 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 contri-
button. No provision for the protection
of life or property Of these white citizens
courts.
Th secretary of the issterior report
that leading Indians have absorbed great
tracts of land to the exclusion of the
common people and government by an In
dian aristocracy has been practically es-
tablished, to the detfiment OF the people.
It has been found impossible for the
United States to keep it's citizens out of
the territory and the eNecutory conditions,
contained in treaties with the nations.
have, for the most part, become impos-
sible Of execution, even had ii been pos
sible for the tribal government to secure
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 20 that con-
diton.
Work of the Commission.
BY section Is of the act of march 3
1893 the president was authorized to ap-
negotiations with the Cherokee, Choe.tw.
Chickasaw Muskogee Tor Creek and
Seminole nations. commonly known as
the five civilized tribes in the Indian Ter
ritory. Briefly. the purposes of The ne
gotta tions We're the extinguishment Of the
tribal title to any lands within that terri
tory, now held by any and all such na-
tions or tribes. either by cession of the
States. or by allotment or by division OF
the same IN severalty among the Indians
of such nations or tribes respectively as
may be entitled to the same. or by such
other method as may be agreed upon be
tween the several nations and tribes
aforesaid or each of them with the United
States. with view to such an adjust
ment upon the basis of justice and equity
as may, with the consent of the said ma
tions of the Indians SO far as may be nee
essary, requisite and suitable, enable the
the Union which shall embrace the lands
within said Indian Territory.
The commission met much opposition
from the beginning. The Indians We're
manifested decided inclination % NEE:
with disfavor the proposition submitted to
them. little more than three years
after organization. the commission ef-
nation alone. The Chickasaws. however,
refused to agree to its terms and as they
have common interest with the CAoc
taws in the lands of the said nations. the
n u-i+h a n,o1
not have been with the consent Of the
former. April %, 1897. the commission eff
fected an agreement with both tribes
the Choctaws and Chickasaw VS. This
a.ited by the constituted authorities of
the respective tribes or nations, parties
thereto. and ouly requires ratification by
congress to make it binding.
On the 9th Of September 1897. an agree
ment was effected with the Creek nation.
but it is understood that the national
council refused to adopt the same. Ne
gotiations are yet to be had wish the
Cherokees. the most populous of the five
civilized tribes and with the Seminoes.
the smallest in point of numbers and ter
ritory.
The provision in the Indian appropria-
ton act. approved June 10, 1896 makes it
the duty of the commission to investigate
and determine the rights of applicants
for citizenship in the five civilized tribes.
The commission is at present engaged in
this work among the tribes and has made
appointments for taking the census of
these people up to and including the 3oth
of the present month.
Should the agreement between the
Choctaws and Chickasaws be ratified by
congress. and should the other tribes fail
to make an agreement with the commits
sion, then il will be necessary that some
legislation shall be had by congress,
which, while just and honorable to the
Indians shall be eGuita bic to the white
people who have settled upon these lands
by invitation of the tribal nations. Hon.
Henry l.. Dawes, chairman of the COM
mission in a letter to the secretary Of the
interior, under date of October IL. ls9.,
says:
..Indivdua ownership is in our Ghe
commissions opinion absolutely essential
to any permanent Improvement in condl.
tions. and the lack of it is the root OF
nearly all the evils which have so SrieV-
iously afflicted these people. Allotment
bv agreement is the only possible meth
Cd. unless the United States courts are
clothed with the authority to apportion
the lands among the citizen Indians for
whose use it was originally granted.
| concur with the secretary OF the m
terror that there can be no cure for the
evils engendered by the prevers.on OF
these great trusts, excepting by theN re-
sumption by the government which Great
cd