The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-10-09
And have this

the rights anu pT1NACSCS "a NAAAS
very class has pressed harder upon
me than all others. I saw three or
four years ago that the clouds that
were gathering over US would break
soonea. or later, and having been
elected for that purpose, | made
the agreement. In all our negotl-
ations I sought to cure the evils
that weakened our government
and make such division of our
common property as would be equal
and fair. In selecting commls-
sion to assist me in the negotia-
tions with the United States COM
mission due care was exercised to
get the service Of honest, as well as
able men, for in those negotiations
were involved the interests of all
our people And am glad to say
that so far as I know only one mis-
take was made in the choice of my
commission. and in that we were
fortunate by misfortune, as it re-
suited to our advantage, in so far
as it strengthened our cause and
crippled the opposition. We, as a
people, are indebted to the faith
| full services and untiring en-
ergies of Capt. Stanley, Wesley
Anderson and n, B. Ainsworth
for the greater portion of our sue
cess. 1t was they who stood in
the thick of the fight at Washing
ton and contested every inch of the
ground belonging to the Choctaw
people. This they did against OPP
position that would stop at nothing
to accomplish its selfish purpose.
These men saved us so much of our
government as was agreed upon,
and indeed we have much for
which we shoul d be grateful to
them. | called upon Hon. Wesley
Anderson to go to Washington in
the interest of the agreement, he
being one of the commissioners Sc
lected by me to assist in having
the agreement ratified by congress,
he promptly responded to the call,
went to Washington and did in
valuable service in the work to
which he was appointed. There
was no appropriation made at the
last council as compensation for
such services or to defray the ex-
penses of the delegate there, and,
as matter of. course, Mr.. Ander-
son had to bear his own expenses.
1t would be base ingratitude for US
as a people to refuse to compensate
Mr.. Anderson for his services in
this matter. And in passing from
this subject I will say that while l
am chief it will be my aim and de-
sire to carry out this division in
the spirit in which it was made,
and | am glad to tell you that |
have the best reasons for saying
that the president and secretary of
the interior will do all in their
power to the same end.
Party Strife-Our future welfare
as a nation demands that we make
a good beginning of this new era;
that we at once demonstrate an
even ability to govern and to be
governed within ourselves. This
we cannot do if party prejudic' is
the controlling sentiment. The
intention of good government is
always defeated whenever preju-
dice is allowed to enter into legis-
lation. And / therefore strongly
council against the agitation of
party feeling both in and out of
council. Party principles so long
as confined to honest differences
of opinion and advocated in the in
terest of good government, are not
damaging; but whenever their
support degenerates to ill-will and
hatred the government is in danger
and reform is necessary. Our gov
ernment cannot withstand the
shock of internal dissention, and |
appeal to you and to the political
parties of our nation in the inter
est all the Choctaw people to for
get the unpleasantness of the past
and unite in one common effort to
successfully meet the new order of
things.
Finances-Owing to the change
through which we are passing now,
| am unable to give you the exact
figures about our finances. The
following is approximately correct:
Coils from all sources. sI52, 1872 90
Expenditures S........ 152, ,46S. .95
Balance on hand. . 313.07
In view of the fact that we are
soon to divide our public domain l
recommend that you pass such laws
as will absolutely prohibit the cut
t;.,.. .,.,l ..alI:,,. ce 4;.,.I.... Il