The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-09-08
TRADERS AND OsAGEs
The Formers Golden Harvest
Likely to be Cut off by Bank-E
ruptcy Law.
ruptcy Law

| ~ F''1 AtHWt
Perry, Ok. Sept 7-Notwithstandlni
the repeated deniais now going ,hrougi
the press u the territory g. IS true thai
there is considerable condemnation amona
tho traders IN the Usage nation aud IL
all grows out OF the fact that some 2s
heads of families OF that nation have ned
their petitions in bankruptcy. II Is also
we'll known that there are about 900 Usage
families in tho Usage nation and that
about two thirds Of them contemplate
taking advantage Of the bankruptcy law.
Their debts are enormous. amounting. or
good authority. to the sum Of $3.50 900 and
while they are n wealthy nation. each
member thereof receiving from Uncle
Sam yearly the magnificent sum Of $1,000.
the prospect az general bankruptcy
hegira may well nu the trader with an
Vlety Tho government seems 20 under
stand that the Indians are children when
it comes TO money matters and the aver
aga trader or FOR that matter the aver
age tramu wants no better field 20 oper-
ate In than n tribe of Indians with mo-
ncy The worst of an systems IS the cred
it system as now In vogue among the
Indians and traders. Tho Indian IS ali
ways In debt 10 the trader, who sells his
goods at an enormous profit Directly
and indirectly the trader interests every
one about him IN keeping tho Iudlll in
debt. and while the trader cvariahlv re-
tires after a few years a rich man ou6
tho indian with his prlicely Income and
his vast extent of land that is supposed
t' he rented for his benefit goes along
steadily from year % year with hts nose
Co the grlndstone It Is the revolt from
this condition Of things that Is creating
conformation among the traders Then
the lawyer who get into tho nation 10
practice are an intolerable nuisance, as
thc traders reckon a. One lawyer from
Guthrie and another from Pawnee have
kicked up this muss. so &c Is said, but
whoever II may be. there is fear In the
eye Of the trader, for he knows that n
the Indian can and viii take advantage
OF the national bankruptcy law, his gold
en- opportunity Is gone forever The In
dams never save anythinE There are
fine houses now vacant IN the Usage ma
ton or occupied by the horses Of the In
dams. which were built for different fam
ties at great expense only 20 be cas-
aside for the everlasting tepee. now oc-
cupied by the Indian at the border OF the
stream near the beautiful building Il is
understood that tremendous effort will
be made to keep the naughty lawyers odt
OF tho Usage territory where they only
breed trouble and deprive the trader OF
his golden opportunity The system ln
vogue I'm tho Osnge nation IS much Ike
the relation between the colored man ana
the southern store-keeper In the cottOr
bolt whore the colored man Is In debt
from the time he plows his ground for
his cotton crop until he gathers the same
ne being actually supported during the
season by the trader. who generally take
a lien upon his coming crop Tor tho debt
The negro is thus always one year be-
hind hand but the trader can SECURE
no lien. He must trust the Indian TO nay
him out Of hia annuity. and an Indian
win buy aud promise as long ns anyone
viii sell