Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-03-30

sippi and accept 100000 acres Of land
west of this river.
There are now about 10000 Cherokee
Indians and 1900 Cherokee freedmen
living in that nation who are all men,
bers of the tribe
The Cherokees do more farming than
any of the other five civilized tribes
Even before the first treaty was made
with them, in 1885. they invariably had
their patch of Indian corn near their
hut the squaw doing the labor in those
days. Now they also raise cotton Most
of the work, however, is done by the
African descendants. their labor in
many sections of the nation being as
cheap as the wind.
When Congress created the Dawes
Commission. 1t instructed the same to
make rolls Of the members of the Five
Tribes. In order to accomplish this, 1t
was necessary to take census of each
of said tribes. When the rolls are COM
pleted they will contain names of full.
blood Indians. negroes, and white men.
with every intervening degree Of blood.
Some Indians entitled to enrolment
have but one siXty-fourth degree Of
Indian blood and show no resemblance
whatever to the red man. In compil-
Ing these rolls, the commission was
guided to an extent by the old tribal
rolls. Great difficulties confronted it,
however. in the change Of names
among the members Of all tribes.
The commission has it's headquarters
in the town Of Muskogee In the Creek
nation. When the making Of the rolls
began. the great majority Of the In
dams, opposed to enrolment. would
not come to the commission. SO 1t de
cided TO go to them. The hotel accom-
modations in the interior being made
quate the commission purchased the
necessary equipment for its mante-
nance In the field. Then 1t adverts ID
n schedule of its appointments in the
various towns and villages. by COM
ing to the Indians in this way. it could
invariably secure the enrolment Of the
majority Of the citizens Of each tribe
To proceed just and fairly in the al
lOtment Of Land in severalty, the gov.
eminent ordered an appraisement Of
all lands in the Indian Territory, so
that each citizen would receive an
equal amount Of dollars worth of land
In view of apprasing the land, the
commission organized and equipped
many field parties. Each party Is COM
posed of six appraisers. one clerk, two
transfers. and one cook Two of these
appraisers are surveyors, and act in a
double capacity. Each party, while
living In one camp. operates In two
divisions. with three appraisers In
each. one Of them surveyor.
The Choctaws and Chickasaws will
receive approximately 500 acres per
capita, the Cherokees 100, and the
Creeks and Semlnoles 16O
The United States laws prohibit the
sale of firearms and intoxicating lio-
uors within the limits Of the Territory.
This law ~ enforced very rigidly.
1t may be Of interest to add that the
government has already allotted lands
to seven small tribes In the northeast
ern part Of the Cherokee nation. They
are the Quapaws. Peorias, Ottawas,
Modocs, Shawnees. Wyandottes and
Senecas. When the Dawes Commits
sion will have finished its labors the
tribal government of five large tribes
of Indians will only be memory of
past history.-R. A. ]. Mangelsdorf, In
the Illustrated Home Journal.
Tipped the Chief Justice.
Not unlike some other great men,
United States Chief Lustice Marshall