Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-08-30

When the new Prairie State sends
it's Representatives to Congress
Washington may see type of Amer
among the gentlemen from Okla
homa may be some with Indian blood
in their veins, or married to wives
descended from the Five Civilized
Tribes. The wives and daughters of
such members of Congress will be
an interesting study
In Oklahoma are some of the
wealthiest Indians in America. While
people will speak of them for years
to come as belonging to the Five
Civilized Tribes, tribal relations were
dissolved in March last-an import
ant step in their progress toward be-
ing citizens like their white neigh
bors.
Long before this the Chickasaws,
Cherokees, Choctaws and others af-
filiated with the whites. AS far back
as a quarter of century ago not only
people from the East, but also Ger
mans, Swedes and NOrwegians from
| the Middle West and Minnesota be-
gan moving into Kansas and the
| Twin Territories, attracted by the ad-
vantages of climate and soil. Side
| by side with the natives they have
| done their part in turning cattle
range and woodland into farm and
| garden, and as tradesmen they have
4 ho vi md off
| les of the new State.
As a large number of the white
pioneers in the new country were un-
married, the question of some one to
make a home for them became i'm
| portant. They saw the daughters
of their Indian neighbors and per-
haps thought of the fertile fields and
herds of cattle which these maidens
would one day inherit. Some of
them set an example by proposing
marriage. Like other of Ewes chill
dren the girls were not displeased
with their white admirers.
So it is that a large proportion OF
Oklahoma's people are half breeds.
not the sort of half breeds with whom
the Eastern man is familiar through
the writing of the novelist, but chill
drcn of a lawful union, whose par
ents rank among the oldest and rich
est residents of the State.
To give an idea of the wealth OF
some of the tribes compilation
made by Government agents shortly
before the tribal dissolution placed
| the value of the farm lands and
houses of the Chickasaws and Choc-
taws alone at fully $20,000,00O.
TO these tribes were allotted for
reservation purposes nearly 12,OOO,-
600 acres of land, much of it contain
! ing large deposits of iron, lead ana
zinc. while some is believed to hold
oil and gas. 1t has been appraised
by the Government at prices ranging
| from twenty-five cents to 81 an acre,
and as there are only 10000 men,
bers of the two tribes, the average to
each Indian would be more than
| $500.
In addition, the tribes receive roy
alties from companies mining their
coal lands, which gives them large
income, divided in proportion to the
property holdings of each family. In
fact, few of the original land owning
families in Oklahoma are worth less
than $4,000.
The Osages living up in the north
east corner of the original Oklahoma
are said to be worth more money
than any other settlement of human
beings of the same number in the
world, for they are not only rlch III
farm lands, but have more than SS''
600, 900 on deposit with Uncle Sam
on which they get five per cent. in
terest. In addition, they lease lands
having oil, coal and gas deposits to
the white man and get revenue
from this alone which amounts to
500 a year for each man, woman
and child of them.