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

.uor of our tribal property. under the
htoka agreement and the supplement.
larry Gcaty, thc government of the
United states has proceeded Hpou
uae maiu and central theory that the
time has arrived to treat our people
not as wards of tho government hut as
responsible citizens of the govern
ment of the United states. The cul.
mnation of a.l tnis - found i'm re-
cent act of congress contorring full
citizenship upon the members Of the
1--WE civilized tribes While disin.
clncd at first TO accept this theory
upon which the government has pro.
cccded, our people have at la come
Go realize that 90 is inevitable and
! they have therefore begun to prepare
| themselves tnr the duties and rc.
-pousiblitio incumbent upon them
IuuiDr the changed conditions ! may
say that tu,y NOT only realize that
| the movin... has oyor.ak,n them.
| but with th realization has come the
/ development u no small degree. of %
desire to- become the equal in AIN rose
poets of those who have enjoyed the
privileges o. iuIl and unqualified cIu-
zenship from time immcmorial
In view of AN this 1t is not J!'1cuh
~ understand how ami why our poo.
pie are not willing TO now again be
classed as incompetent wards of the
! government
The government has i'm a way fore.
ed them to allot their lands in sever.
atty and Co accept a distribution of
their tribal property and become citi-
zens of the United states with all that
implies. After having done all this,
and slowly and fiXedly made up their
minds that this was best for them,
they are now met with the PROPOSE.
tion to rctrace their steps through all
that has been done throughout the
years that have interviewed since the
AtOka agreement was made ana rati.
fed, so far as the privileges Of citi-
zonship and the management Of their
property and affairs like all other Uni.
ted states ciuznus, is onccuoj
No one mas suggested from any
q ,arter, that the nuerior dep rtmcnt
should proceed by arbitrary methods
to force the appointment of guardians
tor all minor white children. Yet tncir
relations with the government of the
United States are identical 1t is not
possible to make any distinction be
tween lnlian children and white chill
.reu, except that indian children have
vastly more property at this time, and
designing persons are more sOgely
tempted 10 involve them in legal prO
ccedings in order that hey may be
made the prey of those who have late
ly filled our country for purpose.
Under the law the parent Is the nat
ural guardian Of his child. TlIs law
is in force in our country TOR the gov
lernmont of whites ana Indians alike
The court has no power to appoint q
guardian for minor child, where the
natural guardian is living, except
where it is made TO aflirmatively ap
pear that the parent is mentally OF
morally unfit for the discharge of hi
duties as natural guardian or is squan
dering the estate of the child. Th'
custody Of our children is a sacred
, right. and to the discharge of OF!
duties toward our children, we are a!
devoted as other people. If a guardian
: is appointed upon proper showing
such appointment carries with It, no
, only the management of the chills es
! tate but the custody of the child. |
the proposition of the department t
enforce the wholesale appointment 0
r guardians, where the natural guardi
ans are living, is carried out, it coult
! sr1 would have the effect of takinI
, from the parents, in thousands of in
; instances, the custody and control o
their own children. 1t is only necessa
ry 70 make the suggestion in orde
, that the possible, terrible and far
reaching consequences may be seen
To the extent that Indians and Indiar
= children have property, just TO that
, extent will designing persons seek tC
involve us in legal proceedings ant
. prey upon what we have.
II will not do to say that since Tho
appointment Of guardians is under tho
control Of the Unitcl States court that
no wrong can result. Experience has
shown, and shown most bitterly, IN,
contrary. The United States courts in
the Indian Territory are already over
worked AMI there would and could be
no one who would give the subject
such scrutiny as would prevent wronq
doing. 1t was said that no wrong coulI
result to the Chickasaws ana Ch9c