Evening star., 1902-01-18
IN DAMS REVOLT
Certain Nations Protest Against Be-
coming American Citizens.
WELL -KNOWNCHIEF INWASHINGqON
Declare That Proposed Allotment
of Lands Means determination.
HISTORY OF THE TRIBES

HISTORY OF THE TRIBES
Since the days of Pontiac nothing has oc-
CURED to so thoroughly arouse the Indian
| tribes of the United States as the move
| ment to abolish their tribal governments
and allot them lands. During the past four
weeks delegations representing the Senecas,
Cayugas, Onondagas, Delawares, Pawnees,
Utes, Creeks and Santee Sioux tribes have
visited Washington, and others will be on
shortly to fight the passage of bill which
they feel sure will be introduced to make
them American citizens"
The members of these delegations are
chosen from among the most intelligent
members of the tribes they are represent
ing and ali of them are very much wrought
tip on the subject of allotting lands to all OF
the Indian tribes. When a representative
visited them they stated that thus far
the matter Of allotting lands to the Indians
had been presented in the press from the
viewpoint of the white man, and that none
of the papers had seen fit to print their side
OF the question. When assured to the con-
trary they submitted the following facts
and statements which read more like the
tale of medieval Jews fleeing from the in
QUESTION than the plain truth spoken by
citizens enjoying the protection of a free
government.
James Murie is the representative of the
Pawnee delegation of five Indians, every
one of whom was well dressed and prosper
GUS looking. Mr.. Murie is himself a fine
specimen of the aboriginal race, and, in
stead of being, as many might imagine,
bad Indian, addicted to gambling and
drinking, living in a bark wfgwam and
dreaming of the coming of the Indian Mes
| siah-instead of all this he is the teller in
small though very sound bank in Okla
homa, the capital of which was furnished
by himself and other Indians. Speaking of
the movement to wipe out the tribal limits,
he said:
Allotment Means EXterminatiOn.
Allotment of lands simply means the ex-
termination of the aboriginal race. This
may seem harsh, bitter and exaggerated,
but 1t is all too true. The people of Wash
ington, sitting in their comfort able homes,
may think, doubtless, that at last some-
thing has been found that will act as q
panacea for all ills that aff1ict the Indians.
Il am not speaking of evils to come but
of things of which l and my tribe have had
bitter experience since 1899. Prior to that
year the Pawnees We're living on reserva-
ton that today is the state of Oklahoma.
They were protected from intruding whites,
and, left to themselves, were making Won
derful progress in agriculture and the arts
of civilization. Peaceful and undisturbed We
had in those days an ambition to be thrifty,
and, by reason of the absence of saloons,
even those who We're inclined to idleness
were spurred to action through sheer lack
Of means and opportunities for being idle
''All this is changed today, thanks to the
act that, in 1892, opened Oklahoma to set
tlement, broke up our tribal organization
and compelled us to settle on lands scat
tered about among the whites. What has
been the result?
Palefaces Devast His Lands.
"Mr Pawnee Indian, rejoicing over his
newly acquired American citizenship, finds
himself cultivating a farm that is sur
rounded on every side by whites. He pro-
ceeds to carry forward the improvements
begun on the reservation, when suddenly
he discovers that his white neighbors are
hostile, and disposed to give hm trouble.
If his horse or cow happens to break out
of pasture on some white mans land, the
latter impounds the animal and charges
Mr.. Pawnee Sc when he comes to secure
his stock Very well, the Indian pays the
ST, secures his animal and returns home.
If he should try to resist the payment of
the fine, which is wholly Illegal, before a
justice of the peace he would not only have
the So to pay, but big costs besides. All of
the officers, courts and the juries are white
and an Indian, even II he were elected,
would not be permitted to hold Office.
Every now and then the Pawnee, who has
the morning to find that some one has let
his fences down during the night, and that
the cattle, horses and other domestic ami
mails of his white neighbors are devouring
his crops. Suppose he should impound the
animals, in the same manner that the
whites hold his stock, and demand Sc per
head for their release? The result would be
that mob of indignant white men would
descend on him. release their stock by
force. and warn him that II he does such
a thing again he will be run out Of the
country
when Pawnee and his family leave for
a visit to relatives, the whites remove the
windows from his house, release the stock
from his barn and overturn his wagons, SO
that when the Americanized Pawnee re-
turns home he has to set to work to re-
habilitate his possessions. Sometimes 1T
takes him week to put his place in order
after such a visitation as l have described.
To my knowledge, 315 such cases have oc-
Cured in Oklahoma since 1892, to say noth-
ing Of hundreds Of others of which L took
no notice at the time, failed to hear of, or
have since forgotten l might continue to
relate case after case of persecution, but suf-
flee to say that the Pawnee, as an American
citizen, and surrounded by whites, has to
submit to thousands. Of petty trials and an
noyances every day of his life at the hands
Of those who are not, and never were, his
friends
Suppose he, as many of them have done,
should return home from a visit and find
the whites removing the windows and de-
spelling his house? In the first place. the
vandals would take no pains to conceal
what they were doing, but would simply
laugh in the Indians face and bid him
help himself in the matter; carrying the
matter still further, suppose he goes to a
justice of the peace to swear out a warrant
for these parties? He will be lucky If he
finds 'worshipful squire within radius
of 100 miles who will issue the processes he
desires. But, admitting that he does find a
justice of the peace honest enough to grant
him the relief desired, then he discovers
that all the onstables, sheriffs, deputy
sheriffs, etc. are too busy to execute the
warrants that he has sworn out. Imagine
that he finally, by some luck, accident,
gets this case into court. The judge and
jury are white men, and are certain to find,
or rule, in favor of the whites. 1t is the
same thing If he takes the case to the
federal court, for there, too, his case must
be tried before a white judge and jury.
These, however, are only minor annoy
ances. The Pawnees that have become
American citizens are simply helpless.
"As farmers their barns are burned,
farming implements stolen, crops ruined,
etc, by whites who do not fear prosecution.
Indians Have Abandoned Their Farms.
What is and has been the result? At
l.es,,