The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-06
INDIAN EMIGRATION SCHEMES.

INDIAN EMIGRATION SCHEMES. A recent issue of The Muskogee Democrat contains an account of a pro-
 jected movement by one Tobe Berry
 hill. looking to emigration of the Creek Indians from the Territory towards a new home in Mexico. Berryhili is one of the chiefs of the Tuskabatches and
 is the originator of the scheme and the organiser of the first colony. The Democrat somewhat flippantly refers
 to the project as follows: The colony is composed of forty men, all full-blood Creeks. The first thing they did after organizing was to elect three delegates, of whom Tobe ts leader, to go;to the promised land and, after selecting a suitable location in the widest part of the Aztec republic, see President Diaz and from him secure to take their language, institutions and laws 70 the concession and as long as the cactus shall grow and the sun shall shine. have it and hold 1t and do as sonable desire has been the cause Of the most noted mtcts onensia.
 This levity does not hide the pathetic side of the scheme, for there is pathos in 1t to the Indians themselves and 10 the white race, if we look at it rightly. The main cause of complaint is partly that they are being crowded and push cd aside by their white successors and partly that they are being forced to change their habits and modes of lifo, as we'll as their language and the an- cient customs of their people. They have faithfully preserved traditions of the past and know what has been done and what may be expected. The Puri- tans in the Northeast, the Cavaliers on the Atlantic coast, the Spaniard and the French on the South, the French
 and English from the North-from every point of the compass they have seen the pale-faces pushing their peo-
 pie back, converging from all direc-
 tions until but little room Is left them and even that is theirs only in name and by sufferance.
 It Is not to be wondered at that there
 should still remain among some of the Indians some portion of their old love
 of freedom and isolation. They are an
 exceedingly conservative people, and
 most of the innovations made on their ancient customs have been forced on
 them. They have put off their old lives
 because they could not help themselves and have put on the white mans habits | because there was nothing else to do. Nevertheless, deep down in their hearts and natures there yet remains some of l the old leaven of savagery that con- | tact with other races will never fully | eradicate, and we should not wonder | that some of them contemplate making one other effort to get away from the | palefaces whom they regard as their natural enemies and oppressors.
 That this movement may prove a | fiasco Is possible, of course, but that | shown by the fact that they made up a fund of $500 to pay the expenses of
 Berryhill and two other Creeks. who
 will leave Okmulgee on the 9th of Sep tember to visit Mexico and see what
 can be done in the way of obtaining as-
 sistance and concessions from the Gov ernment. Possibly that trip will be | the end of the movement, at least for the present, but on the other hand. it Is not impossible that they may obtain
 such favor as will result in many of
 the race deporting themselves and find- ing homes in the Land of Annahuac." And while on this subject We may | mention that the Cherokees, also have been discussing the same project. One
 Jack Ellis. of Tahlequah, some months ago undertook to perfect a plan by | which all the full blood Cherokees
 would emigrate to Mexico, but the Cherokee Advocate denies that the | scheme met with success. It Is ad-
 mitted, however, that these Indians, singly and by families, have many of
 them gone to Mexico, but The Advc-
 cate denies that there Is anything like
 a general or concealed movement in | that direction.
 While, as before intimated, nothing definite may come of this movement,
 1t shows the spirit of unrest among the full -bloods and the desire on their part
 to get away from those whom they still
 regard as oppressors. Whether they would be better off in Mexico may be | doubtful but 1t is probable that they
 would. at least for time enjoy more
 freedom from outside interference than
 they now do.