The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-05-16
SOUAW MEN
WANT TO BE
INDIANS
When II Comes to Getting
Good Farm Lands.
MUCH INTEREST TAKEN
In AIIoting the Lands of Kiowa
and CommanChe Country.

Guthrie. o. T. May I'D. W. Peery
Of FL Reno. who is with the anotting
forces in the Wichita reservation, writes
OF the work as follows:
On Sugar Greek. May RI have been
out now about two weeks assessing the
personal property in the Wichita reserva-
ton. which is attached to Canadian coun-
ty for judicial and taxation purposes. I
can't say that my mission is very pop
ular among the white settlers, for it Of
ten becomes necessary for me to explain
the business of collecting taxes here for
Canadian county. However. for an eX-
PLANTATION, I usually point to the decision
Of the supreme court of the United States
and we must recognize its infallibility,
at least until il reverses itself. It is safe
to say that a large per cent of the per-
sonal property in this reservation has
never been taxed and can not be taxed.
for the reason that Its the property Of
the Indians.
It is queer how much property really
belongs to the Indians when the assessor
comes around. You might think Of those
men who have Indian wives as prosper
Gus citizens, but it is q great mistake,
for everything that some Of them have,
even down to their saddle pony, belongs
to their wives, or else is the property of
their children. It really made US sorry
to hear some of their tales Of poverty,
and just to think that their wives had
plenty and TO spare. Some of them told
as that they were oily working Tor their
wives for their board and clothes, but
from the amount of work they do We are
confident that their pay is really ex-
cessive.
Speaking Of squaw men, It is wonderful
how friendly some Of these fellows really
are. Most of them have fought the al
lotment OF these lands for years, and now
that they see that they viii be opened
despite their protest. they want to gobble
up every foot Of good land. Not salts
fed that their wives and children each
and every one get a choice 160-ecre tract
70 rich bottom land they want to be In
dams themselves and have the govern
ment set them of a nice 760-acre tract
before the man who was so unfortus
nate 90 as to have married white wo-
man can have an opportunity 20 get a
single 160-acre tract for a homestead up
on which to make a living for himself
and family The allotment is in progress
and the squaw men, unfortunately for
themselves, are not in the rolls as IN
dams and viii not be allotted unless thev
are recognized as members of the tribe.
A great effort is now being made by all
the squaw men. white men and Mexlcans
to be adopted into the tribes and placed
on the rolls and have lands allotted to
them A big ''pow-wow was held near
Suagr Creek last week TO make medi-
cine" on this subject. A large per cent
OF the Wichita and Caddo tribes were
present, but II there were any Indian
wards by adoption 4 have not heard of
Il. The fact IS that there are FIVE or six
white men who have been with the two
tribes so long and are so thoroughly
identified with their interests and are
recognized for their honesty and integ-
rity that We believe they should have
sons consideration. Among these men
We may mention who should, perhaps.
be entitled to allotments, are, first, VIII
liam Shirley, DR.. Strum, Robert Curtis.
lanes Davis and perhaps one or two
others, but there are between fifty and
a hundred, p9Ln men ana women VINO
have recently married into the tribe or
have some other claim and are trying TO
egt alIotments. If the government per-
mits a lot Of these hangers-on TO take
lands before the opening IL VIII be do
ing a rank injustice TO the future set
tiers. who must live on the worst land
and pay all the taxes.
Every body wants to know about the
country, If 1t is good land, and the
chances 70 get claim. have been over
the reservation before in several direc-
tons but have had no occasion to visit
II so thoroughly as I am doing now FL
this work of assessing All who have
looked at the map know something OF the
Isze Of the reservation. and it is safe TO
say that there viii be nearly goo allot-
ments taken before it IS opened TO set
tIement The country as a whole VIII not
compare with Canadian county, but there
are valleys here equal TO any country in
the world in the fertility of the soil: in
fact. much better than any land in Ca
madam county. yet we mist concede that
nearly all this choice land viii be allot-
ted OF course there viii be now and