Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1902-06-05
STRIKING REVIEW
OF the Political and Social Condi-
lions In the Territory From
the Pen of the Indiana
Representative.

tOryi mas come from the pen OF
Hon, James M. Robinson, repre-.
sentative from Indiana.
"Indian territory is an anomaly
in the body polite Of the country.
This has been the sentiment of all
the thoughtful who have given at.
tention to its status. 1t was,voiced
by ex.President Harrison in a
message to congress; it furnished
a subject for the last report Of the
governor Of Oklahoma; II was
iorcibly pressed by the delegate
from Oklahoma, Mr.. Flynn, and
by the late United States Commits.
sioner, Mr.. s. B Bradford, and by
other representatives of the peo.
pie who appeared before the Com
miItee on Territories, and it met
the concurrence oil that committee,
universally expressed, and which
evolved bill for it's government.
The territory has no general law
for its government. 1t is the home
Of the five civilized tribes of In.
dians, each Of which is styled a
nation, being the Cherokee, Choc-
taw, Chickasaw, Creek or Musco.
gee. and the Seminole, that for.
merly lived in tho States of Ala.
bama, Georgia, Mississippi, and
Tennessee.
The respective nations have a
sort Of government suited to their
needs in great measure, but wholly
inadequate for them in community
or for the territory, il they were
applicable in a general way, which
they are not.
These indians, as their general
designation would imply, are
civilized; aud, far more than that,
they are careful, industrious, and
able business and professional
men and farmers and artisans, and
indie ed, the policy OF the govern.
ment and the disposition of the
white race as westward the
course OF empire takes its way"
have 30 infused them with white
blood that out of the rs, 600 scarce.
ly 10000 could be told.
The terr itory is rich in agricul.
tural land, ranking with Oklahoma
and fairly rich in mineral re.
sources.
To a country like this, about
the size of Indiana, the white man
has fiooked and taken his children
with him, until they make up $685.
600 of the total population Of
100000.
Herein lies the tale OF woe that
comes up from that people and lie
shown by resolutions and letters
and innumerable newspaI or arti-
cles, the press Of such cities as 81.
Louis, Dallas and Galveston join.
ing in the needs and necessity for
legislation with the papers in the
territory from such queer naIned
towns as Checotah, Spiro, Ch,oc.
taw, Tulss, Wetumka, Vinita.
Tahlequah, Nowata, Hugo, Adn,
Marietta, Chelsea, Catoosa, Big
Cabin, Choteau, Bluejacket, Zcna,
Lenapah, OOlogah, TalAla, Pom to.
toe, Kiowa, Wapanucka, Talihina,
Sapulpa, and Tishomingo. Those
100000 territorial people, With
eighty.seven banks with SO, 0O0,-
COO capital and 81, 900, 600 deposits
With $4,000, 900 in mining; with
/ 800, 900 cattle and other stock in
proportion; with a large produc.
tion Of wheat, corn, oats, aud cot.
ton, and a personal property Of
$50, 900, 900, have the Indian gov
ernments, and a skeleton and In
substantial form Of government
for the towns of 200 inhabitant 10
and over, comprising another 75,-
OO0 OF its inhabitants. but have alb
solutely no law for the construc.
tion OF highways, the care Of the
needy and insane, the punishment
of the incorrigible and criminal,
or the education Of the young.
This leaves 250,OOO without gov.
ernment and 100000 school child.
rem without the means Of educa.
tion. The insane are shifted onto
the charity Of sister states or are
brought 500 miles TO the asylum
at Washington or ara chained TO
the floors of their cabins or to
trees.
The courts Of the United States
Of the territory are driven TO aid
in the protection of communities
sgainst the insane, aud conniVe at
the filing Of charges against them,
of which they are acquitted by
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