The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-09-03
HE allotment Of land s

bflDeS mas, Dy UHlS lllle, pro-
gressed so far as to be we'll re-
garded as a thing of the past ;
it is no longer a live question,
and may be properly enough
spoken Of in the tones of sober
history. AS a piece of relent-
less administration, it swept
over these nations like the lev
cling blast Of a cyclone. That
it should have fallen more
heavily upon the Cherokees
than any other tribe was doubt
less due to the fact that they
were further advanced than any
other in the career of civiliza-
tion, and had a greater accumu-
lation of valuable interests to
be uprooted and blown away.
Allotment, as a permanent
feature in the Indian policy of
the United States, was origin
ally suggested by the spontan-
eous exigencies that came finally
to environ the nomadic tribes
that strolled upon the western
plains. The time mad come in
the life of the continent when it
was meet, nay necessary, that
Indian nomadism should be dis
continued.
This expedient consisted at
first in simply setting apart a
small plot of ground, and then
capturing the Indians by tribes,
and placing them upon it, at
the same time throwing around
them a circle of barriers which
cut them off from all possible
means of escape; it was, in
fact, only a species of wholesale
Imprisonment. The scheme
was extremely radical an d.
harsh, and, in its execution,
often gave rise to scenes of de-
plorable inhumanity. The In
dians thus wrenched so abruptly
out of their old hereditary way
of living. found all their accus-
toned notions of rightful pur-
suit and acquisition to be
strangely out Of accord with
the state of the times. Their
former theories of self-support
became suddenly obsolete and
Intellectual. The familiar inn
plements with which they had
been wont, from time imme-
mortal, to procure their sub |
sistence, parted with their use
fulness, and assumed the char
aeter of only melancholy me-
mentos of an age that passed
away. 1t is true, the various
appliances Of civilized industry
were put into their hands with
commendable liberality; but
the wretehed captives had
the skill, nor the heart,
10 turn them to any profitable
account. As to food, clothing,
and all the other cardinal neces-
saries of natural life, they had
been rendered Just as dependent
upon the gratuities of the out
ade world, as ii they had been
shut up within the walls Of a
Dastile.
From this elementary form of
allotment in tribes to individ-
AL allotment, the step was nat
lral and easy; it was in great
'avor with both whites and In
lians. The former urged il with
jealous solicitation because of
he vast amount of fertile land
ghich It was expected to release
rom Indian occupancy, and
make available for white settle
nent. The latter were pleased
With it, though from a differ
mt, yet equally cogent reason:
ying helpless, as they were, at
he very lowest extreme of adj
'ersity, they had come to the
conclusion that their case was
Of any further enlarge
nent OF misery, and that what
'ver change might take place
n their condition, il must, ac- !
'ording to the laws of natural {
equence, bring along with It /
ome sort Of reaction for the [
'etter Hence they accepted {
a murmur the terms !
'rofered by the government, !
nd, with the facile compliance !
+ little children, put up With {
ugt such portion of thair ovn ! /