The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-03
LAND LOOT in IND. I.
Simple Indians and Negroes Parting
With Their Valuable Lands
Rapidly as Possible.
Temptation to Indulge in Graft
Is Simply Awful-some Legal
....' Protection.
uee,al Correspondence Of The journal.

Special Correspondence Of Tho Journal.
3 Muskogee, /. T., Sept. 30.-Are these
Indians being robbed?
Let the question wait for moment,
while we see If we can get general
idea Of the situation. What happens
when Bobby gets cents and goes out and
displays it among the big boys IN the
street? Does he remain in unchal-
lenged and continuous possession!
Or suppose another case. Suppose H.
900 southern "darkies' men, women ana
children-who had lived In the country,
and to whom SIS in cash was small for
tune,--suppose that these negroes were
all suddenly presented with $4,000 apiece.
What would happen? Suppose each
were presented with quarter section OF
land worth that sum. suppose these peo-
pie all lived In one community, and were
governed by man, an inspector ana
commission-back Of whom was vague,
benign department"
Would the darkies get away with their
$4,000 apiece? Would they keep the land
and till 1t? Would they hold 1t for the
unearned Increment? Some of them might.
But what would the majority do?
That Is the situation here. The ma
jority Of the Creek Indians are simply
southern negroes, ex-slaves and their
descendants. Of Indians who lived in
Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana. Some
dian blood; but for all practical pur-
poses they are Louisiana negroes. AS
adopted members of the tribe. they are
about to receive each his 'proportionate
share Of the s15,00o,O0o worth Of tribal
lands. Then there will be cash bonus
later, In addition.
Here Is the proposition Somebody is
going to get that money-and land. The
methods for acquiring it will differ. Some
will wheedle, others will employ the merry
film fam; while still others will use the
lead pipe and sandbag. And some will get
rich by bargaining with a foolish Gus
toner who does not know the value of the
property he sells.
An Awful Temptation.
To the politician and official the temp
tation Is awful. None know 80 we'll as
they the value Of the loot which Is about
to be looted; and none know so we'll what
"easy marks are the victims. It is the
chance Of a lifetime to get rich quick
and the means for taking advantage OF
1t have long since overleaped the bounds
of official propriety or etiquette and have
verged close on the borders Of the un.
lawful-if, indeed, they have not, in some
Instances, stepped over.
But that remains for the special com.
missioners Of the president to discover
and to prove.
To return to the negroes, and their new
ly-acquired lands. It was not until Fri
day Of last week that these people wer
allowed actually to sell foot of thei
lands: On that day the first sale tool
place, and a tract Of 100, acres brough
$3.50 an acre, which was the highest O
half dozen sealed bids - =
1t Is worth noting at this point that |
was the original plan of the authorize
here to permit the Creek negroes and Ind
1ans to sell these lands by private arrange
ment, and that this piece was thus sold
by arrangement. for $12 an acre, Blu
Secretary Hitchcock stepped In and CAV
orders that the sales be by sealed bids
subject to the approval by the secretary
and to rejection by the seller, after tn
bids have been opened. BY this ruling o
Mr.. Hitchcock the first Indian to sell re
ce1ved nearly $4,000 more for his land tina,
he would have received otherwise.
Eager to Sell.
II anyone doubts the eagerness Of thes
simple people to turn their lands int
money, he has only to pick up the Musco
gee Phoenix In which the sales are Off
oially advertised. He will find that for tn
first sale two pieces of land were offered
For the second sale-advertised for Oct
8-three offerings are made; for the wee
later there are seven, for the next, ter
for the next thirteen, for the next nine
teen, for the next twenty-one, until tn
sale Of Nov. 20, which includes thirty-si
separate holdings. Up to Sept. q no les
than 1879 tracts of land have been adver
tised for sale. These tracts average abou
120 acres each, making a total Of owe
10000 acres. And since the success of tn
first sale the eagerness to list lands ha
increased, the holders fairly tumbling owe