Daily camera., 1898-12-03
THE CHEROKEE TRIBE
Self-Gevernment Will Soon Be a
Thing of the Past.
A Memorable Event in the History of
the NatiOn-The People Are
About Ready for American
Citizenship.

For veal or woe, the Cherikee ma
tional council which lately adjourned,
took it's stand against making any
agreement with the Dawes commits
sion. Thi. action may seem strange
to the outside world, but to those of
this people who understand the stu
alton here there is no strangeness
about it. The senate and house of the
Cherokee national council numbers
1S senators and 40 members of the
lower house, making a representative
body of 5S in all. There are two SEN
ators from each of the nine districts,
or counties, in the nation, while the
population. in the lower house. These
representatives. of the people stand
in close touch with their constituents
-th"v act for them in carrying out
their wishes, and it is believed their
action in preferring the Curtis bill
to any agreement or treaty that may
now be made will be indorsed by the
Cherokee people-the common people
The event Just closed will be a mem
orable one in Cherokee history. It is
the beginning Of the end of a govern
ment they have had for almost CEN
tury-a government they love unto
death, almost, but government
grown so corrupt and inefficient in lat
years as to cause its own people to dis
trust its further usefulness AS dear
to them as it is, they know the blight
ing hand of corruption. among their
own peoD'e. caused the strong hand
OF the United States government to
take it from them. caused congress to
act before all the patrimony of the
people was squandered. Every citi-
zen of this country breat thes sigh of
relief, as we'll as regret. at the depar-
ture of their self-rovernment. Such
causes that bring about such changes
are always sad in the hist orv of any
government. no matter how large or
small its empire. Yet this change is
not with out its blessings to these peo-
pie. It will lift them to a hirher civ
ilization. to citizenship in the great
American renublic. that will broaden
and STRENGTHEN them, at the same
time save them from the rapacitv Of
their own rulers. as we'll as outside
jobbers and tricksters, who have fat
tened on Indian fees and moneys
filched from them in various ways for
long years rast.
With a little nursing and training
these people are ready for American
citizenship-with all its responsibili-
ties and glories. Making five states
the eyception-these Indian people
the Cherokees have per cent. of less
illiteracy among them than any other
of the IS states Of the union. This is
broad statement, but it is a fact.
There are no paupers or greenhorns
among the Cherokee people. They are
highly intellectual and religious: they
are good farmers and stock-raisers.
and show talent for the professions
not excelled by any people in the uni
verse. Seventyfve years of a fine
school system among them has made
their men gifted and their ladies re-
fined, intelligent, lovable, beautiful
and talented. Statehood is the next
step for these people. 1t would be a
crowning act of congress to grant
them this great boon, and they could
show to the world that they have
destiny as grand as tnat of any peo-
pie under the sun.
This country is now growing, and
would grow under statehood to grand
proportions-nocountry having great
er sponsibilities. No, these people
are not the ignorant Indians so many
in the world take them to be- and
in after years many people will proud
ly boast, as Randolph, of Roanoke, did.
that Indian blood coursed in his
veins, and he was proud of it. All our
people ask now is that the great gov
ernment of the United States will see
their every right protected in the
transition state she is now putting
US through. These old-time Indians
and few are here yet-look on the
changing scene with fear and trem-
bling, but trusting the great govern
ment to protect them. The younger
generation hail tie change with de-
light, knowing they are to be citizens
of the greatest, grandest and most lib
erty'loving government in the world
Nero fiddled while Rome burned: and
our people slept while corruption was
drinking our hearts blood. This is
the story; why the end of Indiana gov
ernment; why we needed to be taken
care Of With all our boasted intelli-
gence, with our churches and schools,
with our patriotic men and women,
we sat still while the viper corrup
ton entered into our political arena
and stole from usthe head, heart and
body of our self-government. - ST.
Louis Globe-Democrat.
Stuffed Shoulder of Lamb.