The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-04-13

ons Tor citizenship presented with
IN 90 days ff39 the date Of the act.
and even Ur sr that INV "appheallons
embracing approximately $1,000 ella M
ants We're iudicialy determined
The business Of the DaSes cfmmis
sion, as finally defined by various
statutes and Ind an agreements sup.
plemen al thereto was 10 admins er
upon FIVE great estates. composed OF
about SiO.0O0O00 Of trust funds ana
1851 ,SS9 3S acres OF land. as follows
Choctaw nation, 6,95O,o43 6e.
Chickssaw nation. S47O3.1OS.05.
Cherokee nation. s4.d20.0701S.
Creek nation, SS,072,s1316.
Seminole ma ion s3C5 .s54s9.
This business did not relate to the
disposition Of wild lands or lands OF
uniform value. 1T related to vast
tracts, covered by the hcuses and
o her improvements Of a great popu
lation, threaded in every direction
with railroads. filed with villages and
large towns OF the most modern
character" and without a wigwam or
blanket Indian wi hin the limits OF The
territory
It became the duty Of the commits.
sion 10 determine
First--Who were the bona fde cii
zens entitled to possess these proper
ties and
Second-To take an inventory Of
the properties to be divided, and to-
apportion them equally in severaliy.
Aside from the pcr1lation which
has been attracted to the territory.
there are five distinct classes OF peo-
pie having common property and citi.
zenship rights. but differing widely in
racial characteristics viz;
! L. The so called full-blooi indian,
q People of mixed blood ranging
from an almost infnitesimal infusion
: of Indian blood to nearly full blood
Indians
8 In ermarried whites.
A. Negroes, called freedmen, who
were slavca or are the descendants CT
former slaves Of Indians
O. Adopted citizens.
According to the recent Bonaparte
report these five classes constitu ed
bout one-hf,h Of the inhabtents OF
the territory. and OF hem al least
three.fourths are Indians in little more
thaa nam, win from 20 TO 99 per
cent of white blood and in great
major ~ altogether indhtingushable
n appearance, language.and manners
irota white people"
These people of mixed blood are,
ais rule. Intelligent, educated and
compo,ert 10 manage heir own al
iairs
rhe remaining four hfths OF the IN.
hab.tants Of tho territory have no
connection whatever with he tr.bss
and are white people With a small
percentage Of negr,ts attracted from
lac various states of the union. whose
citizenship IN he states from which
they came has qualified them tor
statehood.
! II therefore appears that OF the
whole population Of the Indian terri
tory scarcely one twentieth are full
blood Indians.
by the Curtis act and various agree
men;s with the FIVE nations, rlbal
relations and governments Of the five
nations are TO cease March 4, 1906.
The government Of Indian territory
is at pTesen- a government by the
secretary OF the interior. by four fed
eral judges having jurisdiction N four
several districts, and by various com
m ssioners. which courts and ccmmls
sioners adm mister the federal iaw
together wi h an extension of a part
OF the Arkansas code. This govern
ment is known in the Indian territory
as court government"
Indian territory is withou- adequate
schools, 50 far as white people are
concerned, ald is without asyluns foi
the deaf, dumb, blind and nEane-
The only provision for free school
in the territory is in he Curtis ac
which provides for free schools Ia th'
incorporated towns
Outside the Incorporated towns ih'
various Indian governments maintain
schools, bur it is asserted that at leas
Zoe 900 white children outs ne ihcor
porated towns are without free edu
ca ional facilities. and hat large
white population Is growing up il
ignorance
As TO the inventory Of ''propertiei
10 be divided" by the Dawes comm's
sion Nothing is owned ia comm a
in the Indian territory exeep' ih'
lands and tribal funds. The act o