The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1906-03-31

ervation of 227, Quapau reservation OF
1914, Seneca reservation of 80, Shaw
nee reservation of 70, Wyandotte res
elyation of 2SS. The Five CivilizeI
Tribes occupy almost the whole OF the
territory.
That is to say, they and the white
men do, for OF the Indian Terrtory's
population of about 100000 the whites
number over 300, 900 5000 are classe
as Indians, and of these only $4,000 ara
full bloods; there are over 10000 of
various shades of mixture" 1,5OD
whites who, by reason Of intermarriage
have been adopted into tho tribes, an |
$4,000 of negro or mixed negro bloc /.
To-day the whites outnumber Indians
in the Indian Territory FIVE to one.
Not but that strenuous attempts weto
made by the red men to keep the lE-
dian Territory for the Indians. The
attempts We're useless; in swept SET
tiers from bordering lands-Kansas.
Missouri Texas-and farther away, AS
Mr.. Harvey phrases il, The Five
Tribes idyllic seclusion was doomed
by the entrance of the railways on
their lands They tried 10 keep the
roads out, but the pressure of the ter
ritory's barriers on all sides was too
strong for them and they were torc3
to consent to the invasion The first
toot of the whistle of the Missouri.
Kansas IL Texas railroads first loco
motive, speeding through the indiaa
Territory in 1879 in its short cut frolt
the east and the world to Texas and
the southwest, pronounced sentence OF
death in the red mans isolation Like
Horace's rustic on the banks of the
river OF Italy, waiting for the water to
roll by, the Indian watched the stream
of settlers flowing into Texas and New
Mexico, but saw no chance that ii
Woul' end And then, wiser than the
rus,.c. who may be waiting yet, for al
we know, the Indian bowed to manifeaS
destiny, and agreed to I2iSe some oi
his Iands 1t was civiliz8:H:n marching
on
Not to let sentiment obs are facts in
speaking Of the dissolving Ci the tribal
rela tions, we must bring forward that
though the tribal system worked fairly
we'll years ago. later conditions found
it inadequate. The tribes had Their
own legislatures, courts, and churches,
and looked after their own educa iona,
affairs. With the changing conditions
evils arose that necessitated the federal
government extending its authority. or
course big part of the changing COLI
ditions was due TO the presence OF the
whites, but whatever the cause. there
arose occasion for reform President
Cleveland in his annual message o.
1896 declared: The condition of affairs
among the Five Civilized Tribes ha;
assumed such an aspect as 10 render
it almost indispensable that there
should be an entire change in the rela-
tions OF these Indians to the general
government This seems to be neces-
sary in furtherance Of their own inter
estS. as well as for the protection OF
non-lndian residents in their territory
. The effort should be made to save
these Indians from the consequences
OF their own mistakes and IMPROVE
denCe and to secure to the real Indian
his rights as against lntruderS an
profeSscd friends who profit by his ret
repression. A change is also needed 10
protect life and property through the
operation OF courts conducted accord
inc to snict justice and strong enough
10 enforce their mandates In 1898 the
Curtis act was passed, which is looked
upon as perhaps the most importan.
piece of Indian legislation ever enact
ed. The Curtis act abolished the tribal
government, provided allotment oi
lands TO the members OF The tribes AMI
enrolment OF citizens preparatory
thereto. provided lor the regulation Of
town sites and tn, Incorporation Of
towns. and the Interior department was
given control of all education.
The changes wer, not accomplished
with ease, the Indians remembering the
agreement made w.t. the United States
that they should haze iull power to
manage their own affairs 1t has AIKEN
time The Creeks an6 CAerokees wero
the first 70 come und,T IuIl operation
OF he Curtis act The tribal govern
ment OF the ChoctaEs "hickasaws AMI
Seminoles was 10 continue eight years
from March / 1898 That time ha8
now arrived tribal government Is
thing Of the past
KATHERINE PoY-