Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-05-24


NO DIcTATION ALLOWED.
The indications now point to
hot time at the meeting Of the vi
tia democratic club at the court
house next Saturday night. But
to the average democrat there is
no necessity for the excitement
and bitterness manifested in GER
tain quarters. A month ago Davis
Hit, cashier ct the Vinita Nation
al bank. was indorsed for delegate
to repres-n, the Cherokee nation
at Kansas Ciiy. The majority
fnvoring Mr. Hill's nomination
was large, and the vote settled the
question efiectually, or should
have 50 settled it. HiTi was not
nominated for delegate at large,
aud the club understood perfectly
what sort Of proposition they
we're voting upon. Mr.. Hill is en-
titled to .he support Of the Vinita
delegation at Ardmure for the
position iur which he is candi.
date, and there ought to be no
dissent. But the club is bound no
fafiher with reference to Mr.. Hill,
and he has no further claims up
on il. rho-e who go about the
streets working up feeling either
for or against the endorsement of
Preston Davis as delegate at large
are going beyond the power or
province of good democrats. The
Vinita democratic club does not
need the dictation If any man or
SET of men to tell il what TO do,
aud we believe it will act indepen-
denlly of any such interference.
The club ought not to be made a
pack nurse 10 carry any man into
place aud power, out its action
with r. ference to o'the candidacy of
every man should be spontaneous.
Judge Thomas, in bis recent de-
cision holding the Curtis law to be
unconstitutional, attacks the pol
icy OF the Mckinley administra-
lion with a boldness that is re
f,eshing. There is no doubt in
the mind Of any we'll informed
person in the Indian Territory
that the position of Judge Thomas
is correct, both in theory and in
practice. There is not an official
from the attorney general down TO
ths United States commissioners
FOR the Indian Territory who dues
MT know that tina, the Curtis act
is "A practical nulli,y. lfit were
law that would stand The consli
tuiionai test 1t would have been
snlorced, but il has stood AZ dead
letter -ince thu day Of it's passage.
United States Senator w. A.
Clark, ol Montana, yesterday re-
signed his seat ii the senate aud
was iminedlaily sppointei by Act
ing Gov. Spriggs to succeed him
self. rhe cause OF this unoom-
mon move is, that Clark's resig-
nation was asked for by Gov.
Smith, and was filed, but had not
taken effect. Gov. Smith bad oc-
casion to leave the state for cou-
pie of weeks and during his alb
sence Acting Governor Spriggs,
friend of Senator Clark, took ad-
vantage of the situation and made
the appointment, which holds
good
The Indian appropriation bill
a. agreed on by the conferees car
ries townsite provision that the
secretary of the interior shall
cause TO be surveyed the towns in
the Choclaw ,Chickasaw Greek and
Cherokee nations with a popula-
lioD of 200 and over A commits
zion shall be appointed and lots
appraised and sold for the benefit
of the tribe.
With the Curtis hill declared
unconstitutional by the courts, and
The Cherokee treaty hanging fire,
the people Of the northern part Of
the Indian Territory don't know
where they are at. With the pres
eut prospects Of bountiluI crops,
however, they will be about as
well of as any other section of the
union.
II the Indian Territory is ever
to wear the diadem Of progress, il
will be after she has ceased TO be
the subject OF constant congress.
ional legislation. What the terri
tory needs is rest and settled con-