The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1904-09-12

terrible wrongs lone i'm 1896 ana ISo1
Instances could be multiplied aud
reasons given over and over again.
why it would be not only disastrous
to the interests OF our people. but
would result in positive discrcdit TO
The government, If the plans propos-
ga by the department with reference.
20 the wholesale appointment uf guar
diaus Tor minor children should be
carried out our people wish 20 be
trcatol just as other citizens of the
/ United states are trcatcl. and rurth-
ermore they will not submit willing
/ ~ TO being thrown as a class into the
| United states courts ana hlrrassod by
legal proceedings. and thereby made
% prey 10 the human yulur... Who arc
seeking TO doyour what they have
simply because they have moro prop.
rrry %. This time than other citizen
II. the United states
Aside from the absence of legal
warrant there is mo- necessity FOR thc
duplication for the proposition -ug
scsDol by the department. 500 far a.
rur people are concerned 70 nos been
widely and sufficiently mu,l,u in the
! Ntoha agreement aul in tho Supple
montary agreement. that the lands ul
.'luors were ualicnable, and there is
no danger therefore, of their being
Ialicnatol and dissipatod 10y the par.
lcut II is only a matter OF the man.
lagement of the land Of the minor
from year TO year, and my belief is
that the parent of the child. having
custody of his person, and realizing
the obligations resting upon them to
look after his physical, mental and
moral welfare, is better qualified than
a stranger, and that the rents ana pro
ceods of the lands arising from time
to time can be more wisely eApend.
ded for the best interests of the child
than by trust companies, having sala.
ries and dividends to pay.
The Chickasaw and Choctaw Ma
tions are now filled from end to end
\ and from side TO side, with rumors OF
the organization of trusts and other
companies, for the sole purpose of Sc.
curing at the hands of the court sole
appointment as guardian for vast
numbers of Indian children. Already
their paid emmissaries are going
through the country spreading the re-
port that the government is going to
force the wholesale appointment OF
guardians and urging unsuspcctng
parents to relinqush their natural
guardianship in favor of thei' compa.
nies The government could not bet.
ter suit the purposes of these concern
ed than TO proceed as suggested.
If i'm particular instances and prop
or cases it shall be made to appear
to the United states court that the
e. lpargnt is mentally un!it FOR the custo
, dy of his children. and that their prop
erty is being squandered, | would not
contend ,nat the United States court
I |
action as is usual ana proper under
rhc law. and would be taleI in
10 connection with 'he prop 't:y AM al
r ieirs of white people, bu. tho propo
5 sition TO strike lown by departmen
= al action, the privileges Of citizenship
g given our people by congress, ant
1 throw their personal and property af
fairs and those of their children into
S the United States court simply be
\ cause they have at this time NOR,
/, property and more affairs than othe
t citizens Of the United States, not on
}. " meets thei" positive disapproval
( but is cauculatcl tO develop sCnti
D ments of resentment that can resul
t IN no good either TO our people or {.
i DE government of the Unitel .Stat"i
4 ir the further progress of toe plan
3 alc policies now under way Tor IN
i full and complete disposition of on
+ tribal affairs.
= The Atoka agreement ana the Sui
r Elementary agreement were CAREFUL,
considered and are supposed to have
contained in the main sufficient pro
! visions for the settlement of our tri
I bal affairs, an for the protection II
} our people, and in their negotiation
! and ratification nothing paralleliua
the plan now proposed by the lepart
ment was suggested. II seems reason
able 10 presume that If our pc)p.o ial
felt that the distinction proposed
5 would have been for ,nejr best inter
ests, it would have Lc.u mcorporat
cd in these agreements
These agreements do contain many
, provisions lpr which our people are
grateful and in the enforcement OF
which the department an
sentatiycs may prontably and prop