New-York tribune., 1901-11-15
THE INDIAN As 4 POLITICIAN.
HOW PUBLIC AFFAIRS ARE MANAohD
AMONG THE TRIBES IN INDIAN TER
RTToRY AND OKLAHOMA.

Wichita Kan Nov 10 (SpecfaD.-Endowed Win
shrewdness and a strong personality the lndlan
makes a good political leader But Oh co"i'e'
| among themselves they cannot all become posses
so the game of politics often becomes eHceeaiisE
suift and dangerous Their campaigns are q con-
tinued story of intrigue, sharp moves ana oeepS
laid plans Not even a Congress committee ap
pointed for the purpose can lay these ari""e
ments bare. ~,
rr,a ea+er mart or the 3s7oeo Indians in the
Tinted States have their government Inc!
are subservient the United States congress ou.
in a way their tribal government is 10 thehl wi
the State legislature is to the state ana tieil
chief is a governor to them. exercising Jue' %
r,ucb mower Each of the five civilized tribes mas
a separate council, while the kiowar ooia,ene -
and Apache Indians of Oklahoma allo" one e
10 rule them. The rule of the Cherokee chiei iiii
is almost equal to that of a ear The oroeis Vi "
Cboctaw ruler fall on needless ears for his peopie
are tn open rebellion against him. and nave peeii
for years. s ,-,
The Indians began to rule themselves nftg Seat
apo when the Cherokees came to their preseh'
homo in Indian Territory. leaving a good tract oi
land in Georgia. Joshua Ross. who hao long pH
their chief name then became their rtal iu,e,
His word was law He surrounded hlmseli VIZ.
cabinet he organized a legislature, and ne olVloeu
the Cherokee country into legislative oistrlo's
Ross ruIed with an iron hand yet lie was oeloNeu
lie guided his people as best he knew anu nc -"
a wise man. For forty years ne relsheu-
came R,sbvhead noted politician among the
BuShy heaO SucceeISu IA
+ba fa,nous Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma and get
ting ST. o0eo for It, which money was ds'r'ou'eN
pro rata among the Indians OF the ,rioe. e -,
Indian politics is game of gran most VI -no
,ima Men are placed in office by the Chiel En-
ecutiye TO fulfil campaign promises. ana THESE 'i'
fool If their duty 10 steal everything they can get
their hands They seem to thlnk 'hat ~ t.le"
government owes them that privilege AS III Men
,uclv fueds have entered into the ponucs ol hi"i'
Of the tribes notably the ApacheS OF the ne"
each other. stahbins is almost as common DIS
eating. The Apaches are under the RUE ol an
Indian agent now. although they have chieI VINO
is supposed to administer law to them-when ne Is
not in Jail himself. This is Naiche, the son OF d
noted warrior. Geronimo. the famous Apache war
rior now i war prisoner Fort Sill, claims TO De
the real chief of the tribe, but in reality ne Is
nothing more than a common medicine man
Lone Wolf is the deposed chief OF the hlo"aS'
but his word is law. He directs what the trioe
shall do and performs all legal acts for MS people.
The Kiowas and Comanches, as well as the fohcas'
have no written laws Their chief and his three
sub-chiefs are elected by vote of the people Inc
voting is carried on by word of mouth the "hoie
tribe assembling at a designated place some time
every third summer, where the new chlet IS choseh
If is any big land deal TO go throush Sn1rs
for the office is fierce Often many are hlieu
The Osages. the richest tribe in the Southwest;
have their council cabinet officer, chleI ana
huska which is in the centre of deep wood on
the banks of crooked streaTn-Beaver Creek her here
is where Black Dog and Peter Big Heart riNals,
have for years fought their campaigns The pig
other wins the chieftaincy. one year Big Heart
showed strategy and knowledge OF indan pom
try which election day he gave free to the peo-
pie in & the form OF doc 99s eat and of course Big
Heart won. He manages the affairs OF the govern
ment fairly well, managing to fill his own coners
Electoneering is carried on in rather her te uniqne
in the back woods. Here the candidates meet and
the better of them and generally does they fight
it out. At picnic given by & the Sherokees solhe me
accusation by that the other two were guilty
Big feasts are held at these gatherings, the ex-
penses oeng borne by the candidate who Is eiected
tbe winner takes them all into his office and gives
vouchers on the government so 1t IS % geheraiIH any
borne out of the public funds. There IS no such
money coming from invested funds In the treasury
at Washington. 1t is the aim of the whole Indian
hold Of as much Of il as possible With that aim
in view. they are apt to elect men VINO ag stress
attorney in Tahlequah won 100000 fee for secur-
ing big sum OF money as an appropriation to the
Indians. ,.,.,.,....,. croovs
They each have their own council OF rom @ sTtv
members to both the upper and lower house Ihere
is also supreme and circuit court 10 each hatlon, @
name Politics counted in these courts A district
judge once coEiSeeb ny 2 ged herause the Judge had
arudge against him The mans crime was moth
ing. He appealed to the United states ana Was
released. - ..s.-
a fayorite canard issued by each of the parties
in hot Indian campaign is to accuse some or the
candidates of favorng the sale OF their country 10
the white men the repeal of the intermarriaee
law which would allow all classes OF white men 10
marry their girls. Nothing is so likely 10 brine a
candidate into dsfavor proof that ne Is al hedrl
a svrnpathize with progress. The fuIlbloods IN a
xav dominate the election. and shreWd bosses seek
rbe favor of the fullbloods rather than the halr-
breeds All Of the Indian governments wil nave
heen abolished within three or four years ana a
i1nioue class of politicians have faded from view