The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1906-02-24
WHAT ABOUT
THE MONEY

7 Editor Chieftaln, What has become
of the money! The unhappy demise
of the Cheroscs nation has car.
rled along with it out Of fexlstence.
and into oblivion, a great many or
those public questions about which
the poor Indian mind used TO be
ceaselessly and most vitality interested;
there Is indeed only one inquiry Of any
Importance that has survived the
wreck, and that IS "What has be-
come Of the money! IL has NOT been
long since we used TO hear ii conf
IDENTITY asserted BY those who claimed
to be into the matter that the Chero-
KEGS had more than two million dol
lars lodged IN the hands OF the gov
ernment for safe keeping This
treasure was called the Cherokee Tin
vested fund, the Cherokees used
TO speak Of II IN that way. But since
the Cherokee nation was put TO death
we have heard but very little said
about this Indian estate. II Is sup
posable, however that Secretary
Hitchcock, Il inquired of IN q proper
manner would not hesitate TO tell as
frankly sll about the present condI-
tion Of this fund, as well as tho fate
that awaits II In the future, whether
Il Is fattenlng hopefully on the pros
vendef derived from the sale Of Cher-
kee lands or whether II Is all the time
growing leaner and leaner by the sue.
ton Of vampirlcal lawyers. We used TO
have chance to read little some.
thing now and then about the status
Of this fund that il to say, when We
had achief competent to do something
for his people besides ratifying exorbi-
tant contracts for legal services. In
former times usually our chief lived
50 closely in touch with the authori.
ties at Washington that lie could tell
us at any time all about the debit and
credit side Of this matter. But that
kind Of times has passed away and we
can hear nothing from the aemi.defunet
Cherokee eexesaeivoo office except ab0at llvf
culean attorney labora and mamG0th pro.
fessional fees. BY the way, these multi
tudinous lawsuits which have been 40
maintained at the expense of
oar invested funds, whom estimated ffom
2 standpoint Of common sense, are set
,f most oontempfbIc things There has
never been single issue ia any of them,
fairly necossltaied by The facts, that ever
sallod for more than twenty-five dollars
worth Of professional learning And set
hese vapid causes Of action viii doubt
ess never abandoa Che columns 81 the
ederal docket a. long as theres il enoueh
y the Indian moneys in store 70 furnish
motive for the invention Of suit.
But what has become oe the n0neyf
Some time aeo the government sold
,herokee townsites, or torn lots, how
many or FOR how mnch money ~ Indian
,nows, with an avowed purpose to do
'osit the proceeds n snch sale in lho sub
reasury to the credit Of The Cher0heoa. III
s supposable that this purpose has been
aried ont: & 80, os course The money IL
low there, looked up ia the iron vaalts
'ut how long Is il going 20 remain there
q that state Of impehNrablo darknoss
)f course, If eonstitutese righteous claim
m part Of the Indians against tho govern
nent. But q claim against th6 govern
nent, per Indian experiences. IS wonder.
ally long.lived fling. It takes the goy.
mmens generally something like half
Z three-quarters of 4 century to make up
IS mind TO DO fair with the indian The
iandible restfulness with which sbis
ioney has heen sleeping IN TIE federal
'ckup IS almost enouqh 70 make one be-
eve chat the daylight win never be al.
lwed to illumine its precious recess until
'ng after the present generation Of 1n-
ians have gone to mingie with their orig
bal dust. IT Is true, 4 dread of such an
vent may be unfouuded. At any rate it
j an outcome worthy u most earnest
eprecation. There never was a tima Ga
Be history Of The Cherokee people when
beg were more In need Of fhe actual en-
'yment Of whatever property sehtfaily
elonged 70 taem. And As 70 TIE fetsn-
on Of these funds 'n store. instead Of
aging them ont per eapita 70 the Indians
Is not within the power of honest hu-
Ian ingenuity to assign single valid
'asou.