Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-06-10
TAuLrouAH. 1T. June 4. 1sa7

FRIEND MARRs:-There is some-
thing going on here that should be
noticed. The 100000 appropria-
ton and s126, 900 is not the half OF
the dirty job. There only remains
of the s4OO, 900, am credibly in
formed, s1S5 600. All but this
has been taken up by attorneys OF
course, and if the freedmen get any
Of the 100000 they may consider
themselves lucky. There are par.
ties in touch with the officials buy
ing orders at one-half their value
and filing them for the amount the
freedmen will receive from the
Cherokee treasury payment. Just
few insiders are allowed to do
this-that is, only certain persons
orders are filed. 1t is disgusting
to think how corruption can reach
those of our trusted officials once
thought not only pure, but above
suspicion, but it seems that such
CORRUPTION is going on. The capi-
tol building has been turned into a
brokers' office, where The nations
paper is being hawked in the mar
ket for speculative purposes. The
various clerks, from executive sec.
retary down, seem TO be doing a
thriving business. In no other
country in the world would such a
state Of things be tolerated. There
are some things being done by Off.
cials really too bad to tell. But
back to the original subject: By
the time the attorneys get through
with the 100000 Mr.. Freedman
will get nothing. 1t may never
have been intended that he should
get anything. 1t looks very much
that way now. II was only in.
tended for attorneys and their
friends, and was lobbied through
council under false pretenses, the
statement being made that we
would get rid Of the Wallace roll
and strike of more than a thousand
fraudulent names from the rolls.
That was the argument used to
carry this nefarious measure
through council by those who knew
better, for the very act appropriat.
ing the money provided between
the lines that a thousand or more
additional names should be added,
thus robbing the Cherokee people
of their Just heritage. No wonder
the fullbloods mistrust our sort of
Indian; no wonder they have sent
a delegation to Washington to see
for themselves. | am glad they
have done so; they did right and
when they find out that a change
of condition is demanded by the
United States government the
troubles OF negotiation will be
largely removed. Chief Mayes
should have issued warrants, based
on act of council, to pay these nu-
merous attorneys and Treasurer
Lipe should not have paid any
thing without a warrant on this
800 600 fund. Not a warrant was
issued as the constitution requires,
which says, "no money shall be
drawn from the treasury except
upon warrant Of the principal
chief, based upon an appropriation
by the national council, Jake
Guthrie, ct al, TO the contrary not
withstanding. No wonder the
poor Indian mistrusts their pale
face brothers and are putting for
ward only fullbloods for the ma.
tional council in the districts
where they are dominant.
/ write this in order that you
may comment editorially on the
same. / do not want my name
used, as / write in confidence
of these shameful transactions.
The treasurer will be enjoined
from paying the freedman roll as
il is, by a Cherokee court official
to the end that this monstrous
fraud Of roll may be corrected,
and TO show our protest against its
being made binding on our people.
The last two delegations have
about wiped us out as a nation
been especially hard on the treas
ury.