Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-03-08
DEADLOCK WITH CREEKS.
Indian Office and Delegation
Fail to Agree.

apparent deadlock with the Indian
office over the proposed Greek
agreement.
For couple of weeks past the
Creeks and the members of the
Dawes commission have been
meeting at the Indian Office, con-
sidering the proposed agreement.
Today the Dawes commission re-
ported to Indian Commissioner
Jones that an agreement had been
reached with the Indians upon all
but three points. These points
are abolishment of the tribal courts,
the putting of the Greek schools
under the jurisdiction of the Uni
ted States government, and the al
lotment of 160 acres of land each
to the Indian boarding schools.
There is a probability that an
agreement may be reached upon
the last point, mentioned, but lit
tie probability that either the In
dians or the Indian Office will
yield the position which they take
upon the other two points.
Commissioner Jones had a talk
with ChiefIsparhecher today upon
the subject of allowing 160 acres
each to the ten Indian boarding
schools in the Creek nation. These
schools now have but forty acres
each. Isparhecher thought that
forty acres was enough, but, after
a long talk on the subject between
him and the commissioner, the
commissioner is led to believe that
the Creeks will agree to the allot-
ment of 100 acres.
CREEKS OBSTINATE.
Upon the subject of giving up
their tribal courts and putting their
schools under the control of the
United States government, the
Creeks are obstinate, and the In
dian Office is equally unyieldiDg.
Gen. Porter said that the reason
the Creeks were not willing to give
up their courts or the management
of their schools was that such a
concession on their part would be
confession of their incompetency
and a reflection upon their homes
ty. Commissioner Jones remind
ed him that there had been a great
deal of proven corruption in the
Greek Nation. Gen. Porter said
the Creeks would not ratify the
treaty if the delegation consented
to the abolishment OF the tribal
courts and surrendered the control
of the schools.
Commissioner Jones said he
would never give his sanction to
the sending of a treaty TO the SEN
ate which did not contain such
provisions.
As far as the Indian Office is
concerned, it would rather there
should be no agreement with the
Creeks, and that they should con-
tinue to be governed under the
Curtis law. The Curtis law abOl-
ishes their tribal courts and vests
the control of the schools in the
Indian office. But, while prefer
ring the operation of the Curtis
law, il is not the purpose of the
Indian Office to put anything in
the way of Creeks securing an
agreement upon a reasonable ba-
sis. If, however, they will not be
satisfied with reasonable conces-
sions, they Will be compelled to
remain under the operation of the
Curtis law.
CHIcKAsAw CHoCTAw QUESTION.
The Creeks are asking much
more than was allowed to the
Chlckasaws and Choctaws. The
Chickasaws and Choctaws consent
ed to the adjustment of their tri-
bal courts. Their school fund was
placed under the control of the
secretary of the interior. Recent
ly they made the point that the
placing OF the school fund under
the control of the secretary did not
surrender to the United States the
management of their schools.
The interior department has taken
the position that it did in effect,
for the reason that the secretary
of the interior could pay out just
so much of the fund as he saw fit,
or pay out none. Conferences up
on this subject have recently been
held between Capt. Standley, the
representative OF the Choctaws,
and commissioner Jones, and they
have reached an understanding
which, if it receives the approval
of the Choctaws, will virtually
give the United States the control
of the schools of the nation and
will he entirely satisfactory to the