The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-01
Taxes MUST Be Paid
Uncle Sam Is Assisting the
Indian Collector.
IT is PAY UP OR TREK
How Mr.. Lo Socks 1t to the
UitIander.
1T is PAY UP OR TREK

Purcell, I. T, Feb. 2S.-Captain Jack
Ellis. chief of the United States Indian
police for the Five Civilized Tribes, &C
companied by his posse and Lieutenant
Ward. has arrived in this city for the
purpose of assisting the Indian revenue
officers and permit collectors in the col
lection of the Indian tax. Mr. Robert
Walker, general tax collector for the
Chickasaw nation, of Pontotoc county,
and Mr. r. L. Reems, special national
agent and collector of the one per cent
tax, are also here.
The taxes now levied by the Chickasaw
nation, and which it is the duty Of these
gentlemen to collect, are as follows For
each male over the age Of IS years not
a member of the tribes, 81 per annum;
for each head Of stock, . cents per an
num- the property of non-citizens, and
on all stocks Of merchandise per cent
on invoice per annum.
Much trouble had been experienced
heretofore in the collection Of these
taxes, the imposition Of which was large
held at South McAlester, and in the col
lection Of these taxes at other points in
this nation serious trouble was only
avoided by the presence of Indian Agent
ShoenfeIt, the personal representative of
the secretary Of the interior.
The Indians claim the right to make this
levy under the provisions Of their treaty
recently entered into with the United
States, and from the fact that the secre-
tary of the interior and the minor Of
AciaIs connected with his department are
vigorously assisting in the collection it
would seem that the tribal authorities
are officially recognized as being justified
in its imposition. Under the circum-
stances there seems no way to avoid pay
ment Of these taxes except by voluntary
or forcible removal from the territory
the latter plan being the one adopted in
the celebrated Smith case of Vinita in
which a capitalist of that name was
forcbIy elected from the territory and
his return prohibited by the authorities
While some local opposition has been
developed to the payment of this tax the
collectors seem satisfied of ultimate sue
cess To the Eagle correspondent one Of
tAe officials said: THE taxes levied by
the Chickasaw nation are less than 50 per
cent of the amount assessed and col
lected by the other civilized tril S, $ per
hSad being the permit tax in the Choc-
taw nation, with a special tax of $40 for
practicing attorneys and an invoice tax OF
II per cent on all stocks of merchan-
disc introduced into that nation One Of
the principal reasons given to US by non
citizens for not paying these taxes is
that some pay and others do not, and
realizing that this has been the case for
years past we propose to see that all
parties are treated alike and that all
shall pay. We do not want TO impose ad-
ditional expense on anyone and that is
what resistance to the levy means, as
We are clothed with authority by the
United States government to collect not
only the taxes but the cost to which we
may be subjected by reason of having to
seize and care for property"
Just what the result will be here IS
very uncertain, but one thing seems
assured. and that is that the collecting
agencies on the ground feel confident Of
their ability to enforce the payments and
expect little resistance when the actual
demand has been made.