Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-20

veins of lead and zinc are Indicated hv rich
outcroppings which have never been mined
| A me climate and beautiful scenery make
| this country one of the garden spots of the
nation ~
All this goes to about $1,000 Indians.
lo''3S'H'6 acres being divided about equally
among the different tribes. There are In
dams and freedmen negroes whose ancas
tors were or who are themselves freed
slaves of lndianS). who have head rights
in the different nations, as follows. Cbern
kee Freedmen, 400; Cherokees ~ 900.
DeIawares having head right in Cherokee
nation, 1000. Creeks, 1900: Creek Fr.-d-
men, 5000; Choctaws. 10000: Chociaw
Freedmen, 5000; ChickaSaws 1000: Chick
aSaw Freedmen, 5000: Seminolas aono
The Cherokees nave invested or loaned 10
the United States s.. t;:.,.OOu. The Creeks
nave $2Oannoo thus loaned. The Chicka-
saws $l3HSooO. the ChoCtaws &J46 900 and
the SeminOles $l,J000OO 1t Is estimated by
Tams Bixby, chairman of the commission
to the five tribes, that each Cherokee citi-
zen VIII get 120 acres of land of average
value as his allotment. The Creeks will get
between 100 and 200 acres. the Seminoles
about 100. the Chickasaws and Choctaws
about 800 acres each. Besides this land
they Will get equal shares of the invested
funds which are to be paid to them lust
as soon as they have ali selected their al
lOtmentS.
Result of This Enrichment
what Will become of these Indians thus
suddenly enriched? In the opinion of those
who know them best the outlook for them
Is not hopeful. Conditions at present are in
chaotic state and it does not seem likely
that living conditions will improve when the
Indians own the territory. Towns with a
population of five or six thousand people
nave no sidewalks at all and no roads w0r-
thy of the name. After heavy rain bust
ness is practically suspended. The build
lngs are of the limsiest character. In the
farming districts the Indians will not i'm
prove their farms because they have no
positive assurance where they can take IN
their allotments. Few of the fulIboDds send
their children TO school A present tho
whites. of whom there are 3n0UDb in the
territory. have practically no rights. They
cannot own land, and prior To a recent
decision they have not even been allowed
to own houses or stocks If merchandise
so that any white desiring % do business
must do it under the name of an Indian
or of an intermarricd citizen having Indian
rights. Many white married squaws thus
tribal rights and the half breed
children of these unions are the most in
telilgent AMI progressive members of the
indian community. Oilers paid the month
~ tax OF 30 cents and hired out to the in
dolent Indian farm owners or store keep
ers. accHmulating money by industry and
thrift.
the Indians threatens. These whites know
the value of the lands. They have or can
get money. As soon as the Indian lakes Up
his allotment, it is his to do with what he
p'eases. There is little doubt that in most
cases. as regards the fullbloods who make
up about One-third of the total indian ron
ulation, they will sell out to the whites 1t
is generally predicted that they will sell
out almost in a body and ernlgrate to
Mexico to find a wilderness wherein thy
can rear another edifiCe of tribal miSmln-
agement, while the half breeds will rcma N
to become citizens of the new state that
will eventually be made out of Indian terri
tory. Willy fellows are these half breeds
who well understand the value of what ia
coming them md wide fhar-
roamed prospecting for lead. zinc coal and
oil, and their discoveries they have kent