Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-01-20
Too-Qua-Stee Has Read the Bill

EDITOR CHIEFTAIN: - My last
daily brings word that the social
ed rehabilitation" bill has now
gone entirely through the tedious
process of formulation. All the
wisdom of the joint committee of
the two houses had spent itself
upon the construction of this pro-
posed law. And yet it is hard to
see the occasion of SO much
Hercuiean exertion in the per-
formance of so simple piece of
legislative work. If the bill had
happened to take into consider
alton so small thing as the per-
sonal rights of the poor people of
this country (the poor Indians, |
mean) the job would have been a
difficult one and it could have
been very easily seen how many
days and weeks might have been
devoted profitably to a consider
alton of its provisions. But the
truth is, we have no signs from
any source to show that these peO-
pie were even once thought of in
the committee during its discus
sion upon this bill. The mind of
the committee seems to have been
wholly engrOssed with one single
thought-of the lands of this ter
ritory belonging to these Indians.
This was the theme; its sub-divis-
ions were these: Townsltes; allot-
ment; mineral lands; and a few
other great matters which concern
the cause of universal civilization.
| know it is vain to talk against
the townsite scheme. Yes, it is
vain. But it is natural to practice
in vanities sometimes. The fawn
in the clutches of the panther will
bleat for mercy; and 1t is useless
to coax it to hold its peace by tell
ing it that its bleating is useless, is
vain. 1t will bleat all the same.
When death gets hold of a man
and begins to drag him down, he
is pretty apt 10 bring groan or
two in the time of ii, although he
knows these expressions of de-
spair are utterly fruilless. Just
so it is with the poorer and more
helpless classes of the Cherokee
people to-day as they sit in their
cabin doors and contemplate the
irresistible coming on of this |
great towusite outrage. L hey
raise their voices and indulge in
all the abandon of hopeless re-
monstrance; and they do this, and /
will continue to do it, although |
they know that in the demon jaws |
of the money greed the most
plaintive cries for mercy are vain
and futile.
The bill provides that the Dawes
commission shall walk along up |
and down the railroad lines and
stake off the most valuable lands
in the territory-well, it Is not
important to say for what pur-
pose: it is enough to know that
the purpose is to take this valu-
able property from the poor men,
women and children of the Chero-
kee people, and thus outrageously
stint their scauty means of living.
| know the contemplate platitudcs
that are used in congress and
other speculative circles as argu
ments In justification of this great
wrong. 1t is a country's pride to
have cities in it,great AID flourish
ing cities; that cities develop a
country; that cities are fosterers OF
that capital and wealth
IN general must have empOriumS
to nestle in, ETC., etc. But | assert
that a city that is built out of
plunder upon the people does not
deserve to exist. The valuable
lands to be taken to build these
cities upon belong to the Chero-
kees-it is their private property.
They are not public lands, not
withstanding the strained dictum
Of the courts. When these lands