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

the lace OIL the eartn. 10 tnem,
an allotment partook, under the
circumstances, much of the ma
ture of a gracious gift, and, on
the principle that "beggars are
not allowed to be choosers, y
they had nothing to say as to
the dimensions of the bounty.
But the five civilized tribes
were not a hostile people. They
had never given the least occa-
sion for a resort, in dealing with
them, to anything hike a war
measure. They were a domes-
tic community, living peaeeably
under the guaranteed protection
of the United States. And yet,
in 1898, the federal government
suddenly assumed an unfriend-
ly bearing toward these inoffen-
sive people, and began to deal
with them as conquered enc
mics. Congress, by a piece of
formal legislation, popularity
known as the Curtis law, abol-
ished their civil government,
annulled their laws, abrogated
their treaties, repudiated their
patents, assumed absolute pro-
prietorship of their lands, and
declared off all conditions af-
fecting the custody of their pub
lie funds. This act was put in
to force under the pretense of
seeking "the better protection"
of these Indians; but the wrong
done them by its sinister pro-
visions was too poignant to al
low them to be deceived as to
its real intent. They could but
distrust the constitutionality of
an act that conflicted so square
ly with the principles of justice.
They turned therefore to the
judicial arm of the federal gov
ernment for relief; but they
were simply told by the supreme
court of the United States, in a
carefully considered case, that
the American Indians, being
"wards Of the nation," had no
rights that the government was
bound to respect; that in deal
ing with them, the end to be
at by the guardian au-
.horities, was not the conserva-
lion of their legal rights, (ifI
hey had any, but the promo
ion of their best good.
The most effective argument
upon the floor of
congress in securing the pas
sage of this extraordinary act,
vas the alleged fact that the
cattle barons, and a few
,ther business clans, had so far
nonopolized the surface of the
common domain as to push the |
'fullbloods, +" the original own
rs of the soil, back into the
,arren flint hills, where they
we're doomed to an endless, and |
'ery painful, struggle with the
lemon of poverty and destitu-
ion. 1t was said that the only |
ure remedy for this deplorablel
tate of things, was simply to
,ut each Indian in possession
# his own rightful portion of
he common estate, and then
Iccord TO him, like any other
itizen of the United States, a
,lace under the protecting aegis
i the judicial branch Of the
ederal government.
As an anticipated result, the
obnoxious "cattle baronsn sur
endered their footing upon the
ace Of the earth, and peace
ully : 'peared in the general
og {. tue times; and their
ountless miles of fencing were
ostensibly for the pur-
lose Of subjecting the vast
reas which they enclosed to a
,er capita distribution among
he Indians.
So far, the movement was
.nquestionably correct; but the
many bright promises Of which
IS beginning was so full. were
.oomed 10 withering disap-
ointment. The hateful evil of
aonopoly, for which the scheme
I allotment had been so hope
nlly devised as a sovereign
emedy, became even more ram
ant. and oppressive. than ever: