The Winslow mail., 1899-03-11
THECHEROKEE TRIBE
SeIf-Goyernment 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,

| O1tIZSESu1D.
] For veal or woe, the Cherikee ma
tional council, which lately adjourned,
took its stand against making any
agreement with the Dawes commits
sion. This action may seem strange
to the outside world, but to those of
this people who understand the situ-
alton here there is 70 strangeEess
about it. The senate and house of he
Cherokee national council numbers
15 senators and 40 members of the
lower house, making a preventative
body Of 5S in all. There are two sem
ators from each of the nine districts,
or counties, in the nation, while the
districts are represented according TO
population, in the lower house. These
representatives of the people stand
in close touch with their constituents
thy act for them in carrying cut
their wishes, and it is believed their
aoticn in preferring the Curtis bill
TO any agreement or treaty that may
row be made will be indorsed by the
Cherokee peCple-the common people.
The event Just closed will be a mem
cradle one il Cherokee history. 1t is
the begirring of the end Of a govern
ment they have had for almost CEN
tury-a government they love unto
death, almost, but a government
grown so corrupt and inefficient in late
years as to cause its own people % dis
trust its further usefulness. AS dear
to them as it is, they know the blight
ing hand of corruption, among their
own people. caused the etrorg hand
of the United States government to
take it from them, caused congress to
act before all the patrimony Of the
people was squaDdered. Every citi-
zen of this country breathes G sigh Of
relief, as we'll as regret, at the Gepar-
ture Of their f-Goverrr1ert Such
causes that bring about such changes
are always sad in the history of anv
government, no matter how large CT
small its empire. Yet this change is
not without its blessings to these peo-
pie. 1t will lift them to a higher civ
ilization, to a citizenship in the great
American republic. that viii broaden
and strengthen them, at the same
time save them from the rapacitv Of
their own rulers, as well as outside
jobbers and tricksters, who have fat
tened on Indian fees and moneys
filched from them in various ways for
long years past.
With little nursing and training
these people are ready for American
citiZenship-with all its responsihiIi-
ties and glories. Making five states
the eXception-these Indian people
the Cherokees have per cert. of less
iliiteracy 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 st0ck-raisers,
and show talent fer the professions
not excelled by any people in the uni
verse. Seventy-five 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
GROWING act of congress to grant
them this great boon, and they could
show to the world that they have a
destiny as grand as that Of any peo-
pie under the sun.
This country is now growing, and
would grow under statehood to grand
pCrticns-noco country having great
er possibilities. 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
~ boast, as Randolph, of Roanoke, did,
that Indian blood ccursed in bis
veins, and he was proud of it. All our
people ask now is that the great gov
ernment of the United States VIII see
their every right protected in the
transition state she is now putting
us through. These old-time Indians
and a few are here yet-look on the
changing scene with fear and treln-
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.lCving government in the world.
Nero fiddled while Rome burned; and
cur people slept while corruption was
drinking our hearts blood. This is
the story; why the end CT Indiana gov
ernment; why we needed to be taken
care of. With all cur bOasted intelli-
gence, with our churches and schools.
with our patriotic men and women,
we sat still while the viper corrup-
and stole from us the head, heart and
body Of our self-government. - ST.
Louis Globe-Democrat.