The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1903-07-16
A LEADING QUESTION.
What HAS the Downing Party Done,
and What Can They Expect

the neighborhood of l4,OOO,O ,OOO
acres of land, an invested fund
amounting to $4,000, 900 drawing
five per cent INTEREST," a very small,
II any, Indebtedness, and a citizen
roll Of only about 2S,000.
In 1898, when the Federal con-
gress passed what is known as the
: Curtis Act, there was left OF land
out of the 100000 acres, lees
than 5000, 900 acres, the roll Of
citizens had increased to nearly
10000 and the s3, ,000, 900 Of inves-
7 ted funds had been squandered
until nearly 100000 had to go
10 pay q public debt.
Had the Curtis bill been delay.
ed just FIVE years longer 1t is very
doubtful If there had been left one
foot OF land or one dollar Of money
to be divided among the Cherokee
people.
Now who are responsible for the
above mentioned oondilions2
The Downing Party has furnish.
ed as with chiefs since 1898 and it
lie their signatures to the different
acts passed by the National ooun.
Gil and their executive sblIity
which has come so near reducing
our people to beggarY,
For an example, the negro COM
promise bill, more familiarly
known, perhaps, as the s126, 600
steal. This appeal was taken un-
der the administration OF G. j.
Harris, by the advise OF w. W.
Hastings, f. @. Boudinot and
others, and under the adminisira.
Aon Of S II. Mayes the act known
as the negro compromise bill was
passed.
BY this acl there Was appr0pfl.
ated the sum Of 100000 for the
purpose Of paying to each freed.
man a sum equal TO that paid out
per capita 10 the other citizens,
And it was further stipulated that
the lawyers fees were to be paid
out Of that sum, not mentioning
the amount Of the fees. sl26.000
we're paid to Kerns, the attorney
for the negroes, and II the affida-
Wits appearing in the Mcconnell
report are true, the advisors and
counselors Of the Cherokee people
we're traitors to their trusts and
caused the Cherokees, by this one
act, and for their own individual
gain, to lose about Ell, 100000 in
lands aud moneys.
Frank j. BoUdinot names both
the Downing chiefs as parties TO
this s126 900 transaction and also
w. w. Hastings. one of our most
brainy men. who has held and
still holds a responsible position
for the Cherokee people and In
whom the chiefs have placed
great deal Of confidence.
Boudinot was the trusted eoun-
ell Of the Cherokee Nation at
Washington before the Court Of
Claims and the United States
!, Court. HE wife was with him
and In her testimony she shows
up the si2e 900 steal IN all Of its
stigma and nance the parties TO
the transaction.
II any of the parties she named
has ever denied sharing ~ the
si26, ,000 fee, the writer has never
seen the denial in print except the
statement, made by S. II. Mayes
and be admits that the money
was wfongiully used
By this same compromise there
we're about | COO fraudulent nance
placed on the Cherokee solls by
tbe Clifton Court and many citi.
zen's names we're left of
Louis r. Broen makes ailidavis
that J. Milton rurnes shared he
fees Ia casya be bad before The
courts With X. n Kerne, one II
the commissioners.
We repeat. that lhls ooe act Of
The National council, BY the ad.
vice O. the heads q he Downing