The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-24
INDIANS GOING TO MEXICO.
Ten Thousand Will shortly Leave "
diam Territory.

WICHITA, Kan, Jan. 23.-Ten thousand
full-blood Indians will start next week on a
march from Vinita, l. r., to their new
homes in Mexico. The Indians are MEM
bers of the Creek, Cherokee and Della
ware tribes. They have become dissatisfied
with life as it is there, and have sold their
share of the tribal lands to the other In
dams, and are going to leave the country
which for nearly century has been their
hunting ground In Mexico the Indians
propose to erect a government to suit them
selves and live as they used to in the
primitive days of the West. 1t was in 1896
when the Cherokees first came to the pres
ent Indian Territory. They We're under the
leadership of John Ross. and the govern
ment appropriated $6S,O0O to defray their ex-
penses of moving. The contrast is great be-
tween that time and the present. These
Indians are paying their own expenses and
going to a country to pay $50 900 in cash for
home. The feeling for emigration to a
new land took hold of the Five Civilized
Tribe Indians about two years ago, when
they held a meeting at South McAlester and
selected five delegates to go to Mexico and
investigate The delegates gave a hattering
account of that country. Funds were raised
to send second delegation to the City OF
Mexico
he thought about having them invade his
domain. This delegation returned and re-
ported that the Mexican authorities would
be glad to have the Indians come. So the
latter made hasty preparations for depart
ure Then they found that money must pc
forthcoming, and the government refused
to pay out part of the trust fund unless the
whole tribe consented. The majority OF the
tribes al that time refused to recognize the
plan, and it was abandoned for the time
being. But the full-bloods were determined,
HOY n
send delegates to Mexico to complete ar
rangementS. About the time when the
tribal government was abolished last July
a delegation of Indians came back from
Sonora accompanied by w. j. Lyons. lie
had a plan to sell them 100000 acres of
land near Guadalajara and Lake Chapla FOR
The sum of SEQ 500 The Indians had looked
over the gound and resolved at once that
it was suited to their tastes, and While they
could not raise much of a crop, it was a
great place to have their feasts and dances
The following named Indians will join the
expedition: Cherokees, 47OO. with capital
of over $500 GEO: Creeks, $500. with capital
If about $50 600. and about 1900 Delawares,
with about 900 capital These 1O,1O0 In
dams, with cash in hand amounting to
$4,000, will comprise the party ihat starts Starts
next week for the City of Mexico. Many
of the younger ones viii take bicycles along
and ride them, but the most OF them Will go
in wagons The lands they have deserted In
the Indian Territory will revert to their re-
spectiVe tribes; hence the appropriations
made by the tribal councils to these In
dams so IndJ Ihey Coulu Ca oUt tlAOii n "a
terprise was not loss in the end Red
BIRD. a Cherokee in speaking of the pros
poets for the future down there. said:
I'VE are going down to land where the
white people cannot always be nagglng at
us. we have got tired of having the whites
coming into our country and telling us how
to live. Down in our new home we will
elect our own officers and do as we please.
White men will not be allowed on the res
ervation at all" The people of the Indian
Territory are greatly pleased that the In
dams are to leave the Territory, ana me
redskins have been the who blocked
their labor during the past three years AS
soon as the full bloods are away the situa-
ZION down there will be more clear and the
country will soon be opened to white settle
Inent.