The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-07
FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES.

For number or years 1t has been ap-
parent that the conditions under which the
Five Civilized Tribes were established in the
Indian Territory under treaty provisions with
the United States, with the right Of self-gov-
eminent and the exclusion Of all white per-
sons from within their borders. have under
gone so complete a change as to render the
continuance of the system thus inaugurated
the five civilized tribes, as shown by the last
census is 40, 1874, and this number has not
materially increased; while the white popula-
ton is estlbated at from 10000 to 81, 600,
which by permission Of the Indian govern
ment has settled in the territory. The pres
ent area of the Indian Territory contains
1854, 564 acres. much of which is very fertile
land. The United States citizens residing in
the territory, 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 500 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, and
yet these people, who have invested their
capital in the development Of the productive
resources of the country. are without title to
the land they occupy and have no voice what
ever In the government either of the ma
tons or tribes. Thousands of their children
who were born in the territory are of school
age, but the doors of the schools OF the ma
Ions are shut against them and what edu-
cation they get is by private contribution.
NO provision for the protection of the life or
property of these white citizens is made by
the tribal governments and courts.
The secretary of the interior reports that
ieadlng Indians have absorbed great tracts OF
land to the exclusion of the common people
and government by an Indian aristocracy has
Deen practically established, to the detri-
ment OF the people. 1t has been found i'm
possible for the United States to keep its
citizens out of the territory and the execu-
tory conditions contained in treaties with
these nations have for the most part become
impossible OF execution. Nor has it been
possible TOR the tribal governments to secure
10 each Individual Indian his full enjoyment
In common with other Indians of the com
mon property of the nations. Friends of the
indians nave long believed that the best in
tribes would be found in American citizen-
ship, with all the rights and privileges
which belong to that condition.
By section 16, of the act of March 3 1899
the president was authorized to appoint three
commissioners to enter into negotiations with
the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee.
tor Creek and Seminole nations commonly
known as the five civilized tribes In the In
dian territory Briefly, the purpose of the
negotiations were to be: The eXtinguishment
OF tribal titles to any lands within that terri
tory now held by any and all such nations or
tribes, either by cession of the same or some
part thereof to the United States or by allot-
ment and division of the same in severaity
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 between the several nations and tribes
States. with a view to such adjustment
upon the basis of justice and equity as may
with the consenc of the said nations OF Indians
so far as may be necessary be requisite and
suitable to enable the ultimate creation of a
state or states of the Union, which shall en-
brace the lands within said Indian territory.
MUCH OPPOSITION.
The commission met much opposition from
the beginning. The Indians were verv slow
10 act and these in control manifested a de
clded disinclination to meet with favor the
propositions submitted to them. A little more
than three years after this organization the
commission effected an agreement with the
Choctaw nation alone. The Chickasaws, how
ever, refused to agree to its terms and as
they have the common interest with the
ChoctaWs in the lands of said nations this
agreement with the latter nation could have
no effect without the consent of the former.
On April %, 1897, the commission effected an
agreement with both tribes-the Choctaws and
Chickasaws. This agreement it is under
stood, has been ratified by the constituted au-
thorities of the respective tribes or nations
parties thereto and on.y requires ratification
by congress to make it binding.
On the 18th of September, 1897, an agree
ment was effected with the Creek nation
but it is understood that the national council
OF said nation has refused to ratify the
same Negotiations are yet to be had with
the Cherokees the most populous of the five
civilized tribes, and with the Semino.es, the
smallest in point of numbers and territory.
The provision in the Indian appropriation
dClb GppIONeu June ~, 1880, makes IL the duty
of the commission to investigate and de-
termine the rights of applicants for citizen
ship in the five civilized tribes The COM
mission 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 Both 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 agree
ment with the commission, then it will be
necessary that some legislation shall be had
by congress, which, while Just and honorable
to the Indians shall be equitable to the
white people who have settled upon these
lands by invitation of the tribal nations
Hon. Henry l.. Dawes, chairman of the
commission, in a letter to the secretary of
the interior, under date of Oct. II, 1897, says:
individual ownership is in their 0he COM
missons) opinion absolutely essential to any
permanent improvement in present condi-
tons, and the lack of it is the root of nearly
all the evils which so grievously aflct these
people. Allotment by agreement is the only
possible method unless the United States
courts clothed with the authority to
appoIton the lands among the citizen In
dams for whose use it was originally
granted"
concur with the secretary of the interior
that there can be no cure for the evils en-
gendered by the perversion Of these great
trusts excepting by their resumption by the
government which created them.