The suburban citizen., 1900-11-17

chaotic state, and il does not seem
likely that living conditions win inn
prove when the Indians own the Ter.
riory. Towns with a population Of
five or six thousand people have no
sidewalks at all and no roads worthy
Of the name. After heavy rain busi-
ness is practically suspended. The
buildings are Of the fimsiest character.
In the farming districts the Indians
will not improve their farms. because
they have no positive assurance where
they can take up their allotments. Few
OF the full-bloods send their children
to school,
At present the whites, OF wl,om there
are 100000 in the Territory, have prac-
tically no rights. They cannot own
land, and prior to a recent decision
they have not even been allowed to
own houses or stocks of merchandise,
so that any white desiring to do bust.
ness must do it under the name OF an
Indian or of an inter-married citizen
having Indian rights. Many whites
married dDsquaws, thus obtaining tribal
rights, and the half-breed children OF
these unions are the most intelligent
and progressive members of the Indian
COL .nunity. Others paid the monthly
tax Of so cents and hired out to the
indolent Indian farm owners OF store
keepers, accumulating money by in
dustry.
It is from this class that the danger
to the Indians portends. These whites
know the value Of the lands. They have
or can get money. AS soon as the In
dian takes up. his allotment it is his
to do with what he pleases There is
little doubt that in most cases, as re-
CARDS the full-bloOds, who make up
abotu one-third of the total Indian pop
ulation, they will sell out to the whites.
II is generally predicted that they will
sell out almost in body, and emf"
CRATE to Mexico to find a wilderness
wherein they can rear another edifice
Of tribal mismanagement, while the
half-breeds will remain to become cit|
zens Of the new State that will event.
ually be made out of Indian Territory.
Willy fellows are these half-breeds, who
well understand the value Of what is
coming to them. Far and wide they
have roamed, prospecting for lead.
zinc. coal and oil and their discoveries
they have kept secret, with a view to
getting their allotments where these
treasures lie Then when local or
Eastern capital comes with money in
both hands the half-breed will be in a
position to get about what he asks.
Tourists from the East visit Indian
Territory rather expecting that wild
Indians, clad in blankets and gorgeous
paint. will be found hanging around
the town and railway stations and
avidly cycling the scalp of the paleface
invader. Instead one meets a race OF
dark-skinned people, some highly edu-
Gated and glad to meet you, others a
little stubborn with the deeply imbed-
ded hatred of their race against the
whites. but all far above the blanket
Indian Of the reservation.
They come quietly and peacefully to
the enrolment places, making OF the
enrolment days a sort of picnic. Most
of them, even the full-bloods, wear the
dress Of civilization. One Of the men
who will become a citizen of the United
States is Zeke Proctor, Cherokee and
a bad Indian Several years ago he
killed seven men near Westyillo and
shot the deputy marshal who tried to
arrest him. AS a rule the full-bloods
are docile, and even kindly, but they
have not the ability or energy of the
half-breeds, and it is probable that they
will soon become extinct. At present
the Five Tribes are the plutocrats OF
the American Indian race. What they
will be after they have come into their
full heritage is a problem upon the So
luton oG which may depend the Gov
ernments treatment Of all its other
wards. Should this scheme of natural
izing these Indians prove a success, it
may be repeated with other tribes
New YORK Sun.