The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-09
The Food Shortage in KIondilSe.
FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES.

For Il number of years past it has beer
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 self government and the eXclu'
sion of all white persons from within
their borders have undergone so complete
Il change as to render the continuance OF
the system thus inaugurated practic2Iy
impossible. The total number of the hive
civilized tribes, as shown by the last
census. is 45.494 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 In
dian Territory contains 25,604 564 acres.
most of which is very fertile land. The
United States citizens residing in the Ter
ritory. 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 300 TO
5000 white people now reside. Valuable
residences and business houses have been
erected in many of them. Large business
enterprises are carried on in which vast
sums of money are employed. ana yea
I these people who have invested their cap
ital in the development of the productive
/ resources of the country are without title
| 'Iat , H. ,,a,,a,.n,,,nnt n;tbo, 81 tho
nations or tribes. Thousands of their
children who were born in the Territory
are of school age. but the doors of the
i schools of the nation are shut against
them and what education they get is
, Nv private contribution. No provision for
! the protection of life or property of these
citizens is made by the tribal govern
| mehts ana courts
An Indian AristOcrncy Built Up.
The secretary of tbc inferior rcports
that lcnGing Iniions have nhsorhcd arrot
tracts Of lands to the eyclmsion Of the
common noonle and government nv nm
indian ,ris tncrocv has beon practically
rstnhlished IN tho dotriment of The neo-
n,o II hos bnon found imnosS;hIo for thn
TInitoL Stntes 70 kcon lis c;tizens out of
Tho Tarritorv and Tho nvecutorv condi-
lions cnntoinod in tho trcotv with those
nntions have for tho most nort becomc
imnossihle in thoir execution. Nor has II
hcrn nossibje for the tribal Governments
to sccnra 70 cocb individual Indian his
full oniovmept in cnmmon with other In
dams If the common nronortv of the nn-
tion Friends of tho Indians have long
holicved tho host interests of tho Indians
of the five civilized tribos would bo found
in American citizenshin with all Tho
rights and nriviloges witch belong 70 thnt
condition
work OF the dawes COMMISSION.
BY section III of the act of March ),
1888. the president was authorized to
appoint three commissioners to enter into
negotiations with the Cherokee. Chloe
taw. Chickasaw, Muscogee tor Creek
and Seminole nations, commonly known
as the five civilized tribes, in the Indian
Territory. Briefly. the purpose of the
negotiations was the eXtinguishmcnt of
tribal titles to any lands within that
Territory now held by any and all such
nations or tribes. either by cessation of
the same or some part thereof to the
vision of the same in severalty among
the Indians of such nations or tribes re-
Spcctvcly as may be entitled to the same
or 10y such other methods as may be
agreed upon between the several nations
and tribes aforesaid, or each of them,
with the United States. with n 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, he requisite and
| suitable to enable the ultimate creation
of state or states of the Union which
shall embrace the lands within said In
dian Territory.
| The commission met much opposition
, from the beginning. The Indians were
very slow to act and those in control
manifested decided Discrimination to
meet with favor the propositions submit
ted to them. A little more than three
years after this organization the COM
mission ratified an agreement with the
Choctaw nation alone. The Chicka-
saws. however. refused to agree to its
terms and ms they have n common inter
est with the Choctaws in the lands of
! said nations, the agreement with the lat
! ter nation could have no effect without
the consent of the former. On April %.
1897. the commission effected an agree
mcnt with both trbes-the Choctaws
and Chickasaws: This agreement, it is
| understood. has been ratified by the con-
stituted authorities of the respective
tribes or nations or parties thereto and
! only requires ratification by congress to
/ make il binding On the 9th of Scntenl-
per $50 an agreement was effected
! win inc creek nation, but it is under,
: $1,000 tIat thr hallohal comhcli OIL said
! NW!lIoi mus refused 10 raIlty the sal!l,'
NNce1,iallohS are YET TO ne maze WIN
ene . i;I,, me most pon,lions OF tne
/ m Nv 'l.i,lHeu ltnpes' ana Mith inc Sr,lli-
mu,IN, unt nnh"'iest Ill punt Vi h"'''oerS
| ulNl territory.