Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1897-11-04
The Allotment Question

To secure delay is the motive
which now inspires the leaders OF
the five civilized tribes in their
negotiations with the government.
They acknowledge the inevitable.
They see plainly, and do not hesi
tate TO say so, that the end of their
tribal government is near and that
allotment will be begun as soon as
! the government can clear away the
legal underbrush. They argue,
however, that every year or month
they can stave off this change in
conditions is so much gained. 1t
is pity some disinterested leader,
if there be such, in whom they
have confidence, does not serve his
people faithfully and honestly by
showing them the advantages of an
immediate settlement OF thi. ques-
tion and the serious loss the tribes
incur every year such settlement
is deferred.
Each month the population of
the nations is Increasing. Each
child born decreases the size of the
allotment of land TO each citizen
and his pro rata share of the mon
eys to the credit of the tribes in
the treasury at Washington. The
Indians may well stop and think
seriously of this matter, for they
are the heaviest losers. There are
about 10000 citizens in the Indian
Territory. OF these, over 16, 200,
or nearly one fourth, are negroes
The recent work done on the rolls
OF membership show that where
each negro family comes 10 the
front with from four to ten, and
even twelve, children, generally
one for each year of married life.
the Indian rarely has more than
one or two.
There has been a large gain in
population during the past few
years, but the increase has nearly
all been in the population of ne
groes and half or quarter-breeds,
especially with the negroes. Even
if the Indians and the government
come to some understanding at
once it will take some time to car.
ry out the provisions of the agree
ment. In the meantime the In
dian, the original owner of the
land and the person most worthy
of consideration, is rapidly de
clining into minority His share
of the land is growing less every
day. From this point of view it is
to the Indians best interests to
accomplish the division of the
land as soon as possible.
The same argument applies TO
the millions of dollars belonging
to the five tribes now on deposit
with the government. That mon
ey will be divided percapita, when
the allotment of land is complete.
Every addition to the population
decreases the per capita of the In
dian and it will take but a few
years more of eXtravagant and cor
rupt tribal legislation to reduce
this vast wealth to an insignificant
sum. 1t may be taken for granted
that the government will, within
a reasonable time, take the matter
into its own hands and settle the
question without the cooperation
of the Indians The time has
come when new conditions demand
that the change be made and it
will be made. With this fact in
mind, every citizen of the territory
should work to the end that the
new arrangement be brought about
amicably and as speedily as posi-
BILE. If the division of tribal prop
erty was made today each citizen
would receive far more in land and
money than if it was made five
years from now.
The Indians, how ever, are i'll
advised. They are led by men to
many of whom a continuance of
present conditions means further
office holding, further farming of
tribal rights for private gain, and
it is the Indians nature to trust
one in whom his own blood iuns
before he will the white man. He
is not entirely to blame for this,
for white men have not always
kept faith with the Indian. In
this instance, however, the United
States government is animated by
an earnest desire TO do justice
when at large expense it keeps the