Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1899-04-06
INDIAN TERRITORY.
KANSAS CRY, Mo-, March 81, '99,

beautiful country. 1t ls drained by tn
Arkansas, the Canadian, the Red, tn
verdigris, together with their many tribu
taries. The most fertile, lands including
all the,bottoms and greater portion of thC
prairies, are already under cultivation, anC
this, of course, means great farming coun
try. Cotton and corn are the principle
products in the south, while grea
abundance of wheat, hay and oats are
produced in the north. If you will visit
this country in early autumn you will have
the privilege to witness the harvest of 8
fine crop-not sweet potatoes, bnt chills,
which are usually gathered first.
Among the various tribes of Indians i'll
the nation there are perhaps three or -four
white persons for each Indian (citizen)
The whites and Indians have intermixed
until it is hard TO know an Indian from a
white man, and to the stranger the average
member of any of the five civilized tribes
would pass for a white man. The full
blood Indian will in few years have
passed to his last hunting ground; in fact,
he is rare specimen now.
There are five civilized tribes in this So
called wild country, who occupy the
greater portion of the territory. These
are the Cherokees, Chi:kasaws, Greeks or
Muscogges, Choctaws and Seminoles.
They are far from the original savage as
the geography pictures him. A great
many of them have reached high degree
of civilization. However, the Quapaws,
Shawnees, Ottawas, Peorias and Wyan-
dottes, who live in the northeastern part
of the territory, still wear their blankets
and cling to their old customs.
A considerable uncertainty has existed
in the government heretofore, but now
Uncle Sam has taken charge, and he will
doubtless administer justice. Since the
tribal government has been abolished
many of the knotty affairs which existed
have been untangled. The passage Of
what is known as the Curtis bill is bring
ing about great change. 1t has caused
all tribal government to be abolished, and
in the meantime United States courts have
been established at different places where
their need was indicated. OF course this
has all been done by the consent Of the
various tribes. The Curtis bill is can act
for the protection of the people of the
Indian Territory and for other purposes"
it covers a wide field; in fact, the whole
territory. Perhaps the most important
section in the bill is that one providing for
the allotment of lands All lands of the
five civilized tribes are, except town,
school, church, cemetery sites, ETC., to be
divided equally among the citizens, those
whose names are on the final rolls, accord
ing to a value ascertained by an appraising
committee. When this is done each citi-
zen will have fee simple or an individual
title for his or her lands. All allotments
are to be non taxable for q years, or until
the title passes from the allottee, and 40
acres of each allotment Q6O acres) to be
inalienable for 81 years, so each citizen will
occupy and own his own land. Individual
ownership seems to be absolutely neces-
sary to any permanent Improvement.
Section 27of the Curtis act authorizes the
Secretary of the Interior to appoint an
Indian inspector, who shall have full
power to perform any and all duties de-
volving upon the Secretary, Under this
act there are many new duties imposed
upon the DAVIS Commission at Muscoggee.
The commission must first make new
census of the five civilized tribes, includ-
ing the freedmen. But space will not al
low me to enter into detail and my letter
is already too long.
All revenues arising from royalties on
coal, minerals, etc., will be placed to the
credit of the tribes, and the proceeds as
provided in the agreement will be
used for educational purposes. Each of the
five civilized tribes have an educational
system of its own. The Cherokees are the
most intelligent, and they take a great in
terest in education. At their capital,
Tahlequah, they have male seminary and
also female seminary.
Some of the boys and girls are sent away
to be educated in the States at the expense
of the nation.
The Curtis act is Objectionable to great
many Indians and whites (''squawmen")
inasmuch as the large plantations will, un-
der the new law, be cut up into small farms,
and thus deprive the few who hold so
much land by possession from cultivating
more than is actually theirs.
The chief of the Creek nation is full
blood Indian. His admirers claim him to
be great man. He has lived with the
whites, yet he cannot speak the English
language.
Civilization has been somewhat retarded
in the territory, but there has been great
progress within the last few years. Rail
roads have been built and towns have
s2rung up as if by magic. 1t is predicted
that within the next three years the popu
lation will have doubled. When a few
more years have passed the territory nov
occupied by the five civilized tribes, to
gether with the smaller savage tribes ii
the north, will form one of the most beau
tiful States in the Union.
PEeRY.