Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1901-12-05
sAnE. OLD STORY.

aa TO need no 0emOnetfauOn. ~
refuse to pass such a measure at
this time is closely bordering on
criminal. The eame old cry heard
for quarter Of a century, "Let us
alone, we are not ready for allot-
ment," is still heard. 1t is re-
fresbing, however, amid all this
to hear the common sense and pa
trioho views Of Senator D. NJ
Faulkner who, in a speech in favor
of the measure this week, said;
"Mr. President and Gentlemen
Of the Senate: / arise to say few
words against this resolution. We
say in this resolution that the gov
eminent of the United States is
not ready to allot the lands Of The
Cherokee Nation at the same time.
l think the act Of Congress known
as the Curtis Act provides for the
rlolment Il the land, but this only
allols the surface Of the soil to the
citizens Of The Cherokee Nation.
As soon as the Dawes Commits.
sion completes the roll II is now
making, the Government of the
United States will open a land
Office here and we will at once take
our allotments Of the surface Of the
soil under the provisions Of the
Curtis act. The Government has
surveyed every seclien Of our land
and has already commenced the
work Of surveying out the forty
and eiOhty acre sections, and there
is no question but what they are
surveying our lands now according
to the Curtis act, and net only that
they have gone so far as to survey
and lay out the townsites over the
Cherokee Nation, and yet we are
asked to cay in this resolution that
the government Of the United
States is not ready for allotment
and that we will be ready when
the United States is ready and al
the same time the Government ia
making rapid preparations for the
allotment that is sure to follow the
completion of the roll now being
made by the Dawes Commission.
They have destroyed all our tribal
laws, and we are all aware that the
the National Council is all that we
have left today as a reminder oi
our tribal government, aud non.
citizens are taking possession Of
our lands that we have a title TO,
and the Secretary Of the Interior il
leasing loo acres of our lands
today, and if he can lease, or re.
new the lease on 1000 acres OF
our lands, be can lease the whole
Cherokee Nation; and the United
States government has got our
money and we cannot use one dol
lar of it without the consent Of the
United States.
The government of the United
States puts its hands into our pub
lie treasury at will end pulls out
the greenbsck and pays It's officers,
and We are poWerless to help our
selves; aud now, in ihe face of all
these circumstances, some Of the
Cherokee people will say let us re-.
main as we are awhile longer, and
hold out for our tribal government.
IL has been remarked that il
costs US great deal to fight for
our rights and for our existence,
and / cay that this is one way to
stop the expense Of our govern
meat; and we should not hesitate
to pass this bill providing for a
final and complete settlement an d
division of this estate among our
citizens. This bill we propose to
pass here is a substitute for the
Curtis Bill, and is far more salts.
factory to our people. While the
Curtis Act only allots the surface
OF the soil, this bill gives our citi-
Esns an absolute fee simple title TO
their individual shares Of the land.
The Curtis act reserves the min
eral lands, and under this treaty
or agreement bill no lands are re-
served from allotment on account
OF any mineral leases. Talk about
defending the rights Of the Chero
kee people and at the same time
oppose the passage Of a measure
that gives them what is theirs.
There is not day but some poor
Cherokee citizen presents a peii.
ton here begging for money with
which to purchase some Of the ne
necessities Of life. These same
beggars are the owners Of The land
10 the Cherokee nstion aud we are
refusing TO give them he oppor
tuniiy Of owning in their own
right what is THERE; they are the
owners Of the soil aud cannot get
the benefits they are entitled to
from II. This Is for the reason