The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-07-04
WHITE MAN IN THE TERRITORY
His Side Of the Controversy With the
Interior Department Set Forth.

interior department Sek FoItns
In an article to the Dallas News,
W. O. Davis. a prominent attorney
at Gainesville. writes:
"Of late there has been much in
the press in reference to what the
secretary OF the interior has done and
will do in the Chickasaw nation. II
you will grant space / will state the
case of the white man. He claims
that for the last fifty years the tribal
government has not possessed juris-
diction or power over his person or
property and all well-informed people
concede that in this condition the
white man IS correct. He contends
that the tribal government can not
impose taxes upon him or his prop
erty, for the power Of taxation Is an
incident Of sovereignty and all con
cede that the tribal government has
never possessed power or sovereignty
over the white man or the right 10
make laws regulating his conduct.
He contends that for the last four
years each individual Indian has had
the right TO the possession, use and
enjoyment of his approximate share
Of the common lands with the power
to rent to whom he pleases,
and that the tribal government
and the secretary of the Interior can
not interfere with the exercise of this
right; and in this connection all well
informed people concede that the
white man is correct
The secretary of the Interior claims
that he can. even while congress is
in session make rules having the
force of law, imposing whatever bur
dens or taxes on the white man he
deems proper and has the right to
enforce the payment of the same, not
through the orderly process of the
courts, but in an arbitrary and des-
potic manner.
The secretary further contends that
in matters relating 70 liberty and
property the white man in the Chick
asaw nation is not entitled TO a trial
before the courts of the country but
that he, the secretary, has the right
to arrest and seize without warrant
condemn without hearing and Duuish
without trial
The white man, 10 the contrary
contends that before being deprived
either of his liberty or his property
he is entitled to an open and fair trial
before court and jury; that the des-
potic views Of the secretary of the
Interior have no place in our form
of government and do not exist any.
where under the American flag. not
even in the Philippine islands. The
white man is clearly right in his con
tention and his views prevail The
secretary of the Interior, backed by
power, may temporarily put good men
to such Inconvenience and trouble,
but he is doomed 10 inevitable de-
feat.
The white man has as much right
to live in the Chickasaw nation as in
any other portion of the United
States and is under the protection Of
the constitution there in like manner
as elsewhere. He has no right TO
wrongfully take possession of any
land in the Chckasaw nation, but If
he finds land there in the possession
and ownership OF an individual In
dian he can lease and rent 1t and oc.
cupy it with the owners consent, and
with this right neither the secretary
nor the tribal government can inter.
fere.
What the white man claims is the
right of trial before court and jury;
what he denies is the right of the sec.
retary of the Interior or his minions
to arbitrarily seize his property or
arbitrarily kidnap and Danish him.
/ -DnrrlhN orANN EAn