The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-10-06
GOOD country


great progress that our people
are making toward the fuller
depreciation OF citizenship that
I is coming 10 them. Tt shows
when this citizenship il awarded
that without reference to race
we will have one of the most
upright communities on the
face Of the earth. His honor
| desired to congratulate the peo-
pie on the evident progress that
is being made upon every hand
and in every way in this COM
munity, and particularly TO
congratulate the Cherokee In.
dian He has it within him
to be as noble a citizen as the
government has at its com
mand, and it is in his nation
that this happy progress is
making itself felt on every
hand and in every way.
The category Of crimes to
come up for investigation were
considered, emphasis b eing
placed upon that Of the liquor
traffic. The duty Of rigorous
enforcement OF all the liquor
statutes was insisted upon. No
matter under what name the
compound is sold, if it intoxi-
Gates the law says the seller
must be punished and it is the
grand iury's duty to indict.
Offenses out Of the ordinary
which were called to the grand
jury's notice were slander libel,
placing obstructions upon rail
road tracks and the destruction
Of public property-telegraph
and telephone appliances-and
the defacement Of public build
ings.
The subject Of excessive land
holdings was declared to be d
difficult one to dispose Of as the
jury would discover when they
came to deal with it, as they
would be compelled to do.
Previous conditions Of holding
lands, including the outlying
quarter, were fully described.
Two or three years ago the
quarter Of mile limit was
abandoned and now the act Of
congress and agreement says |
every citizens holdings must be
limited to their equable share !
oil the lands OF the tribe that
excess lands shall be turned out
so that others may allot them.
The difficulty heretofore has
been that the average allotable
share OF a Cherokee citizen
was unknown. "Now I am go
ing to state to you my view
upon the law, and my view
binds you and binds your action
in this matter, said the Judge.
"The agreement declares the
share to be 10 acres of average
allotable Ian d - possibly sol
acres, or it might reach several
hundred acres, depending upon
the appraisement made by the
Dawes commission, the only
body authorized to fix the valu-
alton, and you muse take that
as a basis. If you find parties
holding lands in excess Of that
the law says they shall be in
dicted and it is your duty to in
dict them, under your oath.
This is necessary in order that
those less fortunate may have
an opportunity to secure
homes.
IN recounting further the
matters which the grand jury
might consider, that Of public
waS, touched upon and
the iEdge mAde It very plain
that tae machinery Of the court
was svailable IN a great many
iifferSut Why's Eer the ameliora-
ton of unpleasant eenditions
Not only may an offNnsive
slaughter house be reaehNd in
his Manner, but a salooa or
other phase where disorderlpre-
vailed could be disposed cf un-
Ter this statute, even though
conviction, under the evidenee,
vas impossible -eafa liquoEI
sharge. T
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