West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-06-29

ly small Orchards are few and
there is an absence Of groves around
the houses.
So far from these conditions be-
ing a positive reproach to the coun-
try, il would be most unreasonable
to expect to see fine farm houses
and big barns. Their day will come
but it is not yet here. The situation
is easily explained.
For about seventy years this coun-
try has been under Cherokee con-
troll. There was scarcely one Indian
family TO each square mile and as
the Cherokees are not strongly in
clined toward agriculture, only a
very small fraction of the surface
was brought under cultivation.
Then, again, the Indians have own.
ed all this domain in common.
There was no individual ownership.
A Cherokee might fence in tract
and thus acquire right of occu-
pancy. He might sell his right but
it would apply only to ms improve.
ments. II he abandoned the place
it became public property again.
Roads were few and ran in every
possible direction.
White men came into this region
and saw the land was good. Many
of them came came because they
would have no taxes TO pay what.
ever. They were satisfied with a
shack for a home. Their farming
was slovenlY, corn field receiving
but one OF two plowings. and the
small crops were no fair test of the
capacity of the soil.
This communal ownership failed
to develop the country. 1t was out
of touch with the twentieth century.
Next March the Cherokee govern.
ment passes out of existence and
the Cherokees become citizens Of
the United States. Their domain
has been surveyed into sections and
townships and the legal roadways
are made TO conform with the Sec
tional boundaries, their width being
33 feet. The lands are being allot
ted among the Cherokees, each man,
woman, and child receiving a por-
ton, and the intermarried whites
and the freedmen sharing in this al
lotment. The average allotment is
no acres, the actual size depending
on the appraised valuation of the
land. A portion of each allotment
must be reserved as a homestead
and under present regulations may
not be sold within aI years. The
remaining land may be sold, bat is
not yet fairly on the market, and
while it is still too soon for the
homeseeker to purchase freely, he
does well to come and rent, so as to
be on the ground and familiar with
the country by the time the remain.
ing restrictions are finally removed.
The white man, unless married to
an Indian woman, has lived here
only as renter. Quite naturally
he put up with the most indifferent
accommodations, neglected the fruit
patch, and while the Indian is a
lenient landlord, he is not inclined
to see costly Improvements put on
his land and paid for out Of an av-
erage rental Of $3.50 an acre. Like
other human beings he wanted to
see some cash coming in. Thus
the Development of the farming
lands has been greatly held back,
and If the towns appear to have
gone ahead of the country it is be.
cause town property is open TO pur.
chase and sale. Then until of late,
the whites, having no citizenship
here, could not school their children
except by supporting subscription
schools ia the towns. In this Cher
okee Nation the towns are steadily
growing, the merchants have large
stores and do a good business, and
II this is true with the farming area
but partly developed, what will these
towns be when there is complete in
dividuel ownership with all else
which that term implies ?
The shiftless renter, like the shift
less pioneer in every new country,
will fall into line or move away.
Statehood will bling taxation, but it
will also bring a more substantial
quality Of citizenship, and united as
one, Oklahoma and Indian Territory
will soon prove worthy sister TO
Kansas and Nebraska, their com.
panion prairie states.
Within the Indian Territory there
Is some opposition, especially among
the Indians themselves, to union
with Oklahoma Even II admitted
as a separate state, it viii be much