davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-04-08
@NNNNJNNNJN NN NNNFNN Observation-Disclosures

general allotment of lands of said
tribe.
Section II of the act of June 2S,
1898, known as the Curtis act, is as
follows:
"That it shall be unlawful for
any citizen of any one of said
tribes to inclose or in any manner,
by himself or through another. di-
rectly or indirectly, to hold pos
session OF any greater amount Of
lands or other property belonging
to any such nation or tribe than
that which would be his approx
mate share of the lands belonging
to such nation or tribe and that of
his wife and his minor children as
per allotment herein provided;
and any person found in such pos
session of lands or other property,
in excess of his share and that of
his family, as aforesaid, or having
the same in any manner inclosed,
al the expiration of nine months
after the passage of this act, shall
be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor."
This language seems to be clear,
and we think means just what it
says, and taken in connection with
other provisions of the act, re-
quires that every citizen of the
Cherokee nation in possession of
lands, the value of which exceeds
his share of the lands of the tribe,
shall, after March 2Sth, 1899, re-.
linquish possession of such excess,
and hold only his approximate
share in value of the tribal do
main.
Section IS of said act, fixes a
penalty of 500 for each day on.
which citizen may fail to comply
with the provisions of said section
IL.
The rules of the secretary of the
interior above referred to, simply
provide that each citizen may Sc
lect eighty acres of land without
regard to value, except where the
same, by reason ofits location, is.
of greater value than the per cap
ita share Of Cherokee citizen,
the possession and occupancy Of
which be may hold exclusively
Continued o. page 8.
The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-04-08
THE REPLY.

Department of the Interior,
Commission TO the Five Civilized Tribes.
MusKoGEE. IT., April 4, 1899.
Hon. P. L. Soper, U. s. District
Attorney, vinita, I. T.
Dear Strive have the honor
to acknowledge receipt of your let
ter Of April Srd, 1899, in which
you quote an editorial published
in The "Chieftainn under date of
March 2Sth, 1899. relative to the
selection by Cherokee citizens of
eighty acres of land each, in which
letter you request the views of the
commission as to certain provis-
ions OF the Curtis bill and the in
tent of the rules of the secretary
of the interior Of October Z 1898,
providing for the establishment Of
an Office within the limits Of the
Cherokee nation, at which citizens
may select eighty acres as q pre-
!;minary allotment IN aid Of The
The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-04-08
holding of any one Cherokee
should not exceed the value of the
holding of any other Cherokee.

should not exceed the vdlae of the
holding of any other Cherokee.
The mere fact that the honor
able secretary of the interior ht 8
in the rules and regulations ap-
proved by him, stated that the
Cherokees could file upon so acres
of land does not mean that this
is all the land to which citizen of
the Cherokee nation shall neces-
sarily be entitled, or eventually
have allotted to him.
1t clearly was not intended that
the same rules should apply
to man who held rich bottom
lands or fine prairie lands and to
man who holds lands in the Spav-
inaw hills. Personally / do not
believe that the commission is
authority for any statement upon
which such an article could be
founded, and as matter of just
ness 10 your body and the citizens
in the Cherokee nation | believe
that the com mission should cor
rect such a statement officially.
propose to execute this law and
to institute criminal proceedings
against all Cherokees, referring
now to the Cherokee nation alone,
and the same will apply to the
Greek nation, who manifestly hold
more than their pro rata share OF
the lands or property of the tribe.
The pro rata share without regard
to value of each individual Chero-
kee has been yarously estimated;
| am advised that your commits
sion, together with that of the
Cherokee commission, figured that
there was only about one hundred
and twenty five acres per capita.
without regard to the value of the
land; the United States Indian
agent, Hon D. NJ. Wisdom, in bis
report to the secretary of the in
terror, figures it something over
one hundred and forty acres.
| am in receipt OF numerous let
ters from various citizens of the
Cherokee nation who state that
they do not desire to violate any
law and asking ifthey must cut
down their holdings to only eighty
acres. This clearly was not the
intention in every case OF the or
der of the secretary of the interior
and | believe that much good can
be accomplished by the writing of
a letter to me which can be pub
lished stating the position of your
commission upon this subject, and
explaining to the people what was
meant and the reason for the rul-
ing OF the honorable secretary of
the interior permitting the selec-
tion of eighty acres of land by each
Cherokee.
Respectfully,
P. L. SoPER,
United States Attorney.
The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-04-08
C0NSTRUING THE LAW.
Views of the District Attor-
ney and Dawes Com
mission Upon the
Curtis Law.
Office Of United States Attorney.
Northern District of Indian Territory.
VrNfTA II Anil 4 1900

kogee, i. Il.
Gentlemen:-I beg to call youi
attention to the enclosed editorial
clipped from The Daily Chieftain
published at Vinita, Indian Terri.
tory, dated March 2S, 1899, ano
headed, "The Fatal Day"
To-day that portion of the Cur.
"tis act which makes II a misde.
"meanor for a Cherokee citizen to
occupy more of his domain than
80 acres to the head takes effect.
"The penalty for violation OF
"said provision is punishable by a
''fine of 500, and each day said
land is SO held shall constitute a
separate offense. A very re-
''markable thing is occurring all
"over the Cherokee nation. Men
"who are known to be scrupulous-
"ly law-abiding are paying no at
"tention TO this law, and are
knowingly violating it. One
Every intelligent Cherokee Indian
"said the other day that he did
mot recognize the right of the
Curtis law TO say to him that he
must turn out his fields and take
"less than his share of the COM
mon estate of his people, and that
therefore he was notgoing TO pull
"down his fences.
There is general feeling
"among Cherokee citizens that the
obnoxious provisions of that law
"will not be enforced, and that an
agreement, satisfactory to the
United States government, and
''to the Indians, will be reached
"before the convening of congress
''next winter, and thus settle
''finally the whole contention.
"It would be an utter impossi-
"bility for the Cherokees to COM
"ply with the so acre provision
"were they so inclined; it would
"work hardship upon them that
"they are not financially. able to
e"meet.n
In come way it is current
through the Cherokee nation that
every citizen Of the Cherokee ma
tion violates section II Of the Cur
lis act who holds more than eighty
acres Of land.
Knowing your opinion upon this
subject. and being governed by the
provisions in the Curtis act, / am
of the opinion that publications OF
this character should be officially
denied.
Section IL of the Curtis bill pro-
vides that it shall be unlawful Ito
hold possession of any greater
amount OF lands or other property
belonging to any such nation or
tribe than that which would be his
share of the lands
belonging to such nation or tribe
and that of his vile and his minor
children as per allotment herein
provided"
Section IL of said act provides
that after "the roll OF citizenship
has been completed by the COM
mission, the commission "shall
proceed to alIot the exclusive use
and occupancy Of the surface of all
.he lands of said nation or tribe
susceptible of allotment among the
6tizens thereof, as shown by said
1oll, giving to each, so far as pos
ible, his fair and equal share
hereof, considering the nature
nd fertility Of the soil, location,
hd value of the same"
Constituting these two sections
bgether il is clear that congress
htended to equalize the holdings
fevery citizen in the Cherokee |
alton 80 that the paIae Of the /!
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
countrr nrecontroIled brlone concern. hnkmuch

country arecontrolled bylone concern. butmuch
FRENCH goods IN this line is on the market.
There, nowl You've struck one Of the beat
arguments for protection in the whole bunch.
Before tariff reform went into effect. the i'm
tnre In the trade world. The tariff knocked
the, foreign hook and eye out. I'm glad to say,
way down.. SO eoHs%@er sa are st dirssctiy bee bene piteSs
Every woman knows that the hook got a hump
lection, as hooks 20. I mean that literally.
Al first rate hooks NOWADAYS have a bend IN
hooks and eyes have also been greatly improved.
That hump has, hurt the sale OF the old ordi-
action safety pin has hurt the single. The
,i6e h have fallen on immensely. and oomnetj-
q low figure that it doesn't pay people to handle
the ordinary, goods for the small difference in
pr!Ge; But the hump has a rival in the snap;
Even the best hook. and eye ever invented
causes women no end OF trouble. 1t gets loose.
wont stay fastened. catches in al sorts oi
refuses to keep them together properly. Not
long ago a ball and socket fastener made its APP
inroads on the hook and eye business. fTRe
takes, its place, while the socket, which q also
best glove fastenines. onlv they, do not %
tensively used by the manufacturer OF skirts
and cloaks. as we'll as dressmakers, and
HCITeSSeS VINO nave TO make quick CnanReS say
i is the greatest boon that has ever come to
them. They can rip their waists and skirts
right OIL without stopping TO unbutton or un-
have. a special weakness for the device"
What Of the volume OF the pin business and
it, profits ?"
The volume Of the business Is tremendous
when one, thinks Of it In the aggregate. but It
is so divided that l cannot say that the volume
OF any one concern Is overwhelmingly large.
As the demand increases, and It does every
day. moro and more people go into the bust
ness. and OF course healthful competition evens
things up wonderfully, and no one makes prof.
It's much greater than are Just.
As for the hatpin business. that is confined
entirely to Europe and England. We make no
hatpins here in America. and the best
ones come from France. The German article is
best suited to peddlers and the like. Every year
finds pins of all sorts improving"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
JOHN /. BLAIR'S OLD AGE.
Ar o., THE RAILROAD BUILDER STILL
THINKS or WORK.

Diplomacy Needed to Keep Him in His
Home mt Blnirstown-Menns by which n
Country Ind Accumulated n Fortune of
ESQ, 900, OOO-Activity That Began When
He was 10 Years Old and Continued
Till n Yenr Ago-HIs sb, OOO,O coo Bond.
blair OF Blairstown" has been known among
railroad men and nnanciers for nearly three
quarters OF q century. The owner OF the
name is practically the owner OF the town. and
both are interesting. John inslee Blair is in
teresting because Of the years he has lived and
the work he has done. The town which he
founded and In which he lives is interesting
because Of its inaccesslbility to the rest Of the
world and because from It one man has d.
rected the building and operating OF more
railroads than any other one man In this coun-
try has ever built or controlled. Perhaps II
John l. Blair had a notion When he was a young
man OF the work he was TO do In tho world he
would never have settled down at Blairstown.
- It is quite possible that thousands OF men
with whom Mr.. Blair has had to do business
have wished more than once that he could
have looked fur'her into the future when he
chose his abiding place. Blairstown Is In the
northwestern corner OF New jersey. Really
. stranger ought never to 60 there at all. He
runs long chances Of never being able TO re-
turn to those who love him. He ought certainly |
never to go there In winter. The site OF the
town 10 q little valley among the New Jersey
hills on the susauehanna and Western Rail-
road. 1t may be that the railroad connections
between the town and the outside world are
good In summer. To reach it in winter 1t Is
dollars to %douEhnuts that one will have to ride
on a freight train. in a sleigh. or go afoot. But.
as with College in the days Of
Webster. there are probably those who love
Blairstown. 1t lie absolutely certain that its
founder believes It to be the paradise Of the
world. 1t has been said OF John l. Blair that
he Is the only one Of the very rich men In this
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22

L. a long time since he has attended a meeting
Of the Board Of Directors. OF the smaller
roads he is President sill q the Kansas City;
st. Louis and Hannibal. the Bangor and Port
land, the Cayuga and Susquehanna, the Green
Bay aud Western and the Chicago. Iowa and
Mi. Blair was greatly interested in the war.
He knows that the United States forces were
continually yict4rioHs' , but he tso cant ant quite Sted u go
short a time. Every now and again he will
ask for the latest news from the front, and
when told that the United states and the Span
mark:
1 preeiS Tint thc } l %tSatt w II Sse is o ali can ap-
A few DAYS ago he. turned to his neohew.
John b. Vail. and said: There is no use talk
h1T t b'ys S sSt Sett 62 out nio fS M WitS 96e f KSn ssS
City and Osceola. / haven't been out there In
50 long that / am afraid they're not, pushing
the work as they should. In fact, / think /
might as we'll start to-day"
II Mr.. Blair should ever be told that he was
not quite so able now as he was thirty or forty
years ago to do whatever he wanted TO It would
be quite Impossible TO keen him in his room ex-
cent by force, The. nurse ard the family have
to be diplomatic aud so Mr., Vail simply said:
Uncle. and you never did like cold weather
much. I'd wait until tomorrow or next day
1t way moderate by that time"
Well" replied Mr., Blair. i guess ! will.
not as young as I used to be. and / don't
like cold. I don't suppose a few days will
much matter"
Of a great country yield him aiortune.
has to be managed. BY gentle persuasion he
,an be induced to put off from day TO day some
And while he delays the years. 20 BY. He has
one son. one daughter. several grandchildren,
nepheMs and several great ntesss and
-eceives every attention that watchtul solicit
.ude can suggest and provide.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
WIDE-aWAKE AMERICANS.
Sir William Van Horne on Their Part In
Developing Canada's Resources.

QUEBEC. Jan. s.-ThouGh the pulp and paper
industry at Grande Mare on the st. Maurice
River, in which Secretary Alger is largely in
terested. is the most extensive Of its kind in
Canada, American enterprise is about 10 give
Canada n st II more important establishment OF
the, same. kind. il will be situated at Grand
Falls in New Brunswick.
Sir William Van Horne. President OF the Ca
madam Pacific Hallway, who is intereSte with
Secretary Alger in tn" Grande Marc concern.
pointed out the remarkable fact thar both that
and the undertaking at Grand Falls were due
TO the tourist travel to Canada. Secretary Al
ger came here Il lew years ago for pleasure.
and while up the st. Maurice saw the water
power and pulp wood side by side aud grasped
the opportunity presented. Senator Proctor OF
Vermont comes up TO Canada hunting moose
very often His guides took him 70 Grand
powerful! syndicate that he has formed
TO operate the water power. What Canadians
are failing 70 do for themselves, said Sir vii
liam, Americans are doing for them. He could
nor u9derst4nd, when he FIRST came to Canada,
how canadians failed TO take advantage OF
what nature had done for them, They see
their natural advantages every day and DO
nothing with them American tourists. on the
other hand. come here for rest and recreation,
they are never too tired TO use their eyes. how
ever. and while recuperating health and energy
IN canada they quickly see and appreciate on
Portunlties FOR enterprise. Many OF the finest
buildings in vancouver and Winnipeg. he said,
have been erected by tourists. who when pass
ing through those cities foresaw their future.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
MIDGET WILLOR TREE.
II Is Only nm Inch and n Half Tall and Was
Found ON a Mestern Mountain.

The New York Botanical Garden will pub
fish shortly the results Of a recent expedition
sent out under its auspices TO explore the fora
Of Yellowstone Park and the surrounding
region. The party of botanists was under the
immediate supervision Of DR.. p. A. Rydberg.
and its expenses were paid by William +.
Dodge. After a search Of three months it
brought back to New York 1900 specimens.
Most Of these wore species OF lowers. shrubs,
trees and seeds already well known and classi-
fled 10y scientists.
But there was one species found hitherto I'M
known to botany. This u the smallest willow
tree extant anywhere in the world. 1t is only
an inch and a half high and was found by DR..
Rydberg on tho summit of the BridGer Noun
This species said Prof. ". l.. Britt0n' Of
Columbia University and DIrector;in-Chief Of
the New York Botanical Garden, is entirely
new TO us. 1t is the very smallest willow tree
to he found anywhere. and fiourishes to some
extent on the Bridger Mountains, Its pigmy
height is due to the extreme exposure OF the
mountain top, We cannot plant il here. as
weather conditions would, quickly kill 1t OF.
but a number OF preserved specimens will be
exhibited in the Botanical Museum In the
Bronx. when that building is completed next
summer"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
INFANT SCALES.
balances Made Nowadays Especially for
Weighing the Baby.

Babies have been weighed from time inn
memorial. but il is only within a few years that
scales have been made especially for that pur-
pose. The old-iashioncd. time-honored WAY Il
weighing the baby was to tie it up in a towel
and then hook the hook of a spring balances
into the knot: and this way is still common.
Whatever other household scales might hn in
us" IN u house have also been used fOrthls pun
pose; as they still are. hut there are now rLa!a
special infant scales and used for that purpose
alone.
Infant scales are made in several styles.
They AL have one feature In common. how
eyer-a basket ~ which to put the baby in p AGO
OF a pan An infant scale of a design new ms
hiatG. gpon which the weights are place ~
IKE a steel mirror. At the other end 81 ths
balance' where the pan would ordinarily
6a; , is the has 9}aSSket' 26,ong il share, 2o
md comfortable holding Of the cLini.
The basket also Ia cnamelled. The LHss
Of ~" scale projects in front To afford a p.ana
llor the weights; which are Of polished iron.
dIhe larger weights are provided with haul."s.
tional weights are taken by means Of a sliding
weight on q beam attached 10 the front Of ma
scale. such a scale as this sells at S25. Infant
scales may be bought. however. al 81 and -
me scales, are used not only u AM ou' tbs
weight OF the infant when it is born, hut -
weigh II from time 10 time. maybe once a week.
To note its growth. Infant scales are made -
weigh up to % or 30 rounds,
American scales ar" sold the world over IN
every civilized land there Is perhars no Iarccr
American scales Of every kind. from the la-g.
est OF railroad. scales 10 the smallest Of lit''5
scales. II. is interesting to note that Russia
BUYS considerable numbers Of infant scalsA
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
GINA SNuBS FRANCR
Her Refusal to Concede Additional Lands
mt Shanghai.

China has decided not to give to France the
additional concession asked for at Shanghai.
Tine American and British authorities asked
the Chinese Government to refuse 10 grant
the French demands. All other nations at
Shanghai sidedw with the American and British
view. and no one except the French will be dis
satisfied with the outcome. The story OF the
troubles at Shanghai. which have caused some
bloodshed. may be briefly told.
Over half "a century ago: the Chinese con-
coded 10 the French, British and Americans
three contiguous areas where they might buy
building lots from native owners and erect
houses. shops. hospitals and churches. China
did not grant territorial rights. but within
these areas the subjects Of the nations we're
free to settle. acquire property. go into bust
ness and govern themselves. On these conces-
sions many handsome houses were erected.
and the three Consuls established n form OF
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
THE MAN or FALLEN FORTUNES.
His Changed Estate Brought Home to Him
Not by Act but by Omission.

His Changed Estate Brought Home to Him
Not by Act hut by Omission.
II have been Interested" said q man OF fallen
fortunes. lin noting the effect of myself. under
my changed conditions. upon other people. and
1t has been especially gratifying to me to OBJ
serve that. so far as ordinary indications go. I
an still counted as of my old standing in life.
In other words. apparently. ! do not reflect my
changed conditions in my bearing or manner.
but / am still accepted at the old valuation, at
least by the stranger,
Thus as / walk along the street l am as
often as ever saluted with:
"'Cab. sir?'
&c am bound to say, though. In the interests
OF exact truth, that | hear this now more often
by night than ! do by day. when my garments.
which are beginning to show the signs Of wear.
are more plainly visible. But | am as often as
ever APPROACHED, by b%eggar7. and, in all my
There is one point at which my fallen
fortunes are realized. and that is at my
tai!or's, though even this is made known 10
me in a purely negative manner BY the simple
omission to send me the semi-annual an
nouncement Of new goods which the, estab-
lishment sends out. In the old days, when my
sonahle ~promptness afterthe presentation otthe
hill. | was invited TO take any length of time
that desired IN which TO pay. Il time were any
buy at all. am no longer a man Of resources
and my custom is no longer desirable.
don't know Of any more bnsiIcsslike or
been conveyed, and | regard II as fully iusti-
fled even though II does inevitably convey with
undcniable that the mathematical chances are
that am. But | kind o wish they'd kent on
sending ne the circular, / wouldn't have
have givOn me pleasure. Its absence Ia the
only formal recognition OF my fallen fortunes"
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
A souvenir from Paris Catacombs.

People chip of fragments from grave
stones" said a traveller. TO carry away as
souvenirs. and twiGs and leaves from trees.
and that sort OF thing. SO that it is sometimes
necessary to protect these objects to save
them. But the most curious thing / ever saw
in the way oil. souvenir gathering was in the
Catacomhs OF Paris. where one OF a party Of
sightsecrs following a guide along the PAS
sages lined witt, human bones pulled out q
tooth from q skull"