Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1899-11-02
Ruling of J. George Wright
on the Subject.

cattle introduced in the Cheroke
nation, it is provided that sal,
taxes snail be paid to the Indial
agent al Union agency for the cred
IL of the Cherokee nation, in tn
same manner as merchant ant
other revenue taxes are paid. 1ol
are therefore requested TO see al
parties, whether citizens or non
citizens, having cattle in their pos
session in the Cherokee nation anC
call their attention to these reg
ulations of the department and tt
request that they promptly remit
to the Indian agent, Union agency
Muskogee, Indian Territory, upOT
forms to be furnished by you, al
taxes due the Cherokee nation OIL
cattle imported since July l, 1898
fail to notice from the Cherokee
laws any authority for non-citizens
to introduce cattle into said nation
but understand it has been the
custom for such parties to intro
duce them, paying the same tax as
is provided for citizens, and if such
is the case, such non- citizens who
have cattle in their possession, OF
have had them since July /, 1898,
will be permitted to pay the same
tax as is provided for citizens
without being subject to prosecu-
ton, as provided in section 2l11
of the revised statutes, which pro-
vides:
Every person who drives or
otherwise conveys any stock ol
horses, mules or cattle, to range
and iced on any land belonging to
any Indian or Indian tribe, with
out the consent of such tribe, is
liable to a penalty of one dollar
for each animal of such stock" J"
1t will be observed from the
above that non-citizens do not ap-
pear to have had the consent Of
the nation at any time for the in
PRODUCTION of cattle therein, but as
above stated, it has been the Gus
tom for the Cherokee authorities
10 allow non-citizens to bring in
cattle subject to the same tax as
citizens. No prosecution of such
would be recommended provided
they will pay the tax required of
citizens. Should they refuse TO
do so however. they will be sub
ject to prosecution as provided for
In the statute above referred TO.
In many instances where parties
nave introduced cattle since July
l, 1898, and have since shipped
Them out, they would be subject
10 the tax Of 80 cents per heaa,
and the annual tax of 25 cents per
mead, provided they were intro
duced after July l, 1898, and ship
ped out after December l, 1898.
Where cattle have been intro
duced after July /, 1898, and ship
ped out before Decent Der l, 1898,
the annual tax OF p cents per head
would not be required; but, in
other instances, where cattle are
still on hand, they would be sub
ject to the IS cents 80 cents for
introducing and % cents annual
tax tax for last year, and the %
cents annual tax for the present
year will not be due until Decem-
Der LIST next; and cattle introduced
prior to July l, 1898, will be sub
iect to an annual tax of % cents
per head due December 1st last
year, which has not yet been paid.
All parties having cattle in their
charge, or having had them at any
time during the past year, whether
since shipped or not, who claim
that they did not introduce them,
should be required to furnish sf-
fidavit that such cattle had not
been introduced in the nation by
them or any other person since
July l, 1898, but those having cat
tie in their possession who claim
they did not introduce them since
that time but that they had been
introduced by others, the parties
having such cattle in their posses
sion would be subject to the i'm
portation tax of fifty cents per
head.
The Honorable Secretary of the
Interior, in a recent communica-
tion on the subject, states that
there dees not appear TO be any
good reason why the persons
owing such tax should not pay the
same when il becomes due; that
the taxes are lawfully imposed,
and persons refusing TO pay the
same are unquestionably liable to
be removed under the provisions
of sections 2147 and 2149 of the re-
vised statutes, together with the
cattle which are illegally held
within said nation.
You will please furnish each one
of your district inspectors with a
copy of this communication aud
direct them to interview parties
now having cattle in their possess
sion, or having had them during
the past year, and to inform them
fully as to the contents of this
communication and with the re-
quirements in the premises, adj
vising them as to the penalties for
non payment.
They should also be informed
hat this tax has been in force in
the Cherokee nation for some years
past and that it is therefore pre-
sumed that prior to July /, 1898,