Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-06-14
STRIKES TIE KEYNOTE.
How In5ia1 Legislation is Ef-
fsCtej in Congress.


Editor Chieftain:-Mr. Cooper,
member Of congress from the state
of Wisconsin, the other night,
upon the floor of the house, when
the Cherokee treaty came up for
ratification, was right, said he:
81 would like to ask some MEM
Der Of the committee who reported
this bill a question or two. My
attention has never been called to
1t until tonight. / notice that the
bill relates TO a very important
subject matter-the affirming or
non. affirming Of mineral leases,
cutting up property into townsites,
and the allotment Of it to the In
dians, all very important legisla.
tion indeed. Now this bill WAS
introduced in the house on the
23rd Of last month and reported
on the 25th, and now we are asked
to pass it with only six or eight
members in the house, at a night
session, when not one member in
seventy.five in the house of repre-
sentatives has ever seen the bill
or knows anything about it. /
wish here to enter my most en-
of legislation. fft6s psSpffEep peof fEp'SlSS %SS
own these lands were white men,
nothing of the kind would be done
in my opinion"
The greed of civilization has be-
come so firmly habituated in the
practice of ileecing Indians, that
to endanget the safety of any piece
of property, especially real estate,
and expose it to the chances of
being taken under the fright Of
discovery" 1t seems 10 be only
necessary to show that it has no
owner but Indians.
But these Cherokees are not, in
a popular sense, Indians; that is to
say, an unorganized horde lying
outside the pale of constitutional
guarantees; but a cultivated, SET
tied people, living in ancient
homes Of their own building. and
surrounded with all the refine
ments and comforts that charac.
terize communities in the brightest
portions of the earth.
But all this makes no practical
difference; they are branded with
the name Of "Indian" and conse-
quently fall within the category of
booty for progressive civiliza-
tion." This peaceful community
of prosperous farmers is now
invaded by the Curtis law,
as ruthless and consci ence-
less as the very pillow. share
Of ruin. II pulls down their fences
obliterates their landmarks, and
turns their cultivated fields out to
the common; it uproots their orch.
ards, and hands over their gardens
and pleasure grounds a prey to
deserlion and desolatiOn; the
dwelling houses Of these industri-
Gus, happy people, together with
their barns, granaries, corn cribs,
domiciliaTy walls and structures OF
every kind, 1t ordains TO be taken
up from the earth, transported,
and located on some distant spot
arbitrarily pointed out by the
tyranny OF legislation; and in case
Of failure on part Of the owners to
remove these ponderous fixtures
within the time prescribed, they
are to be made the subjects OF
forfeiture and confscatioD; in a
word these multitudinous happy
homes that have nursed many
generations from childhood to
adult life-these homes that stand
to these people in the stead Of
many years Of toilsome industry
and self denial, this reckless law
destines virtually TO oblitsraiion,
leaving to the owners little more
than a mere glimmering memory
OF their old-tims sweet and cluster.
ing comforts.
Nowhere since Nebuchadnezzar
herded the Jews off down into
Babylon, has so unrighteous
piece Of Legislation been inflicted
upor any civilized people; and all