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

in compliance with his own in
clination and that he would be
only too willing to regard the
pendency of the ratification
campaign as a suitable occasion
for Withholding his hand. with
the hope that the result of the
vote might relieve him Of any
further part in so unpleasant 0
piece Of administration. A can.
vass of the votes showed a de.
cided majority in favor of rati.
fication and public feeling
among the Indians had inst
risen to its full swell of rejoic.
ing over the defeat of the hate.
full lease measure, when they
were informed by dispatches
from Washington that the sec
retary, only few hours before
the day of election, had approx.
ed, and made effective, the very
leases which constituted the
main object of their displeasure
The news affected the minds OF
the Indians with inexpressible
surprise and disappointment.
The result was they found them.
selves committed irrevocably by
their own unwary consent, TO a
scheme of allotment in which
they had waived all their treaty
guarantees, ana rights under
their patent.
The spirit of speculation ev.
erywhere, apparently through
out the whole United States, vi as
on fire, and dancing on tiptoe.
A newly discovered country, OF
unnumbered and inexhaustible
resource, with nothing to hinder
acquisition but such feeble re-
gard as humanity saw fit to ac-
cord to an alien and unconge-
nial race, presented a tempta-
tion in the presence of which
the best virtue of a christian
civilization proved to be abso-
lutely helpless.
Among the first forms in
which avarice began TO prey up
on the wellbeing Of the Indians
was one which grew directly out
OF the oppressive nature Of the
laws which had been so recently
precipitated into the Territory.
Lawyers without number flock
ed into the country, like sheep
into a new pasture. These laws
were so obviously in conflict
with reason, as well rs every
known principle of civil juris-
prudence, that it was an easy
matter for them especially those
who had acquired a little fame
upon the floor OF congress, or
elsewhere, TO make the unso-
phisticated Indians believe that
relief was feasible through the
courts, and that nothing was
needed to entire success. but a
stupendous appropriation Of
funds but when the case reach
ed Washington it was invaria-
bly, dismissed on the hackneyed
doctrine that the judiciary had
no power to coerce the execu-
tive :" and that an "lndian is a
ward Of the nation, " and has
no rights that the Legislative
was bound to respect. At this
point the matter was generally
ended, only leaving behind d
fearful vacuum in the national
treasury.
II would be untrue to the
cause OF reliable history TO leave
unmentioned right here a GER
tain scheme Of speculation
which came into vogue during
The days of Indian allotment,
and which was singularly
unique. II there is anything in
This world more justly entitled,
than any other, to protection
against all the forms OF imposi-
ion aud wrong, il is the orphan
the fatherless and motberless
which the inexorible
avs of nature have thrown for
lurture upon the cold hands OF
,he community. The man who
,ould conceive the idea OF cap
talizing the pathetic exigencies
,f orphanage, certainly had a
business eye of the most unus-
lai penetration. And yet there |
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