The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1906-08-23
PITIFUL EFFORT TO
AROUSE PREJUDICE
Democratic Organ in Its Attempt to
Arouse Class Feeling Makes AS
SertionS Wide of the Truth

The Viuita Leader of this city is
one Of the best weeklies of the new
state, but it has one besetting sin
that, unless a reformation is soon
effected, will prove its undoing. 1t
conceives that its mission as Demo-
cratic organ can be carried out on
ly by reviling everything Republican,
and its constant aim is to stir up pre-
judice against Republican officials, In
any way possible, without the slight
est regard for the truth.
In this weeks issue the Leader re-
prints The Chieftain's article in
which Judge Gill announces that all
guardians must comply with the law
requiring them to give security fer
the performance Of their duty and to
file annual reports, and comments on
it to this effect:
''The above, heading and all, Is TAX
en- from the Vinlta Republican organ
OF August 20, And il states the fact.
Secretary Hitchcock's law must be re-
spected. Despite the fact that most
Cherokee parents spend every year
more for the care Of their children
than the revenue Of these children S
allotments amount to, these parents
must take out guardianship papers
for their own children, pay court
costs, make expensive trips TO court
towns, hire lawyer sometimes, and
be put to a great deal Of expense
from year to year until the last one Of
these children is 81 years DID, Even a
COW can look after her calf without
seeing Hitchcock about it, but these
Indians according to Mr.. Hitchcock
have not sense or honesty enough to
care for their own children without
getting permission Of the court and
a bond, Verify the Republican party
is the great and good friend OF the
Indian Just watch the Indians fall
over one another to get to the polls
and vote the Republican ticket.
Better hurry up in the meantime and
take out guardianship papers for your
children. If you don't you may wake
up and find some one else appointed
in your stead-or would they go as far
as that?"
Now, the question arises, is the ed
ltor Of the Leader merely ignorant Of
what he is talking about, or is he tell
ing deliberate falsehood in order to
stir up among the Indians a lawless-
ness that will defy the orders Of the
court and result only in harm to the
Indian? Mr.. Hitchcock, as the editor
Of the Leader ought to know, las
nothing whatever to do with tile law
In question. Instead of being a Re-
publican law, indeed, it is Democrat
ic law, enacted by the legislature Of
the good state Of Arkansas. The Re-
pubicans are to blame FOR IT. If there
is any blame alta he'd only as
accessoriec after the fact IA applying
such obsolete statutes as those Of Ar
kansas to this country. And il is
quite probable that congress didn't
know what it was doing when it
adopted these Democratic statutes,
for certainly they bear no resemb-
lance to any laws in force in any pro-
gressiye Republican state.
Judge Gill has nothing to do with
the law: it is on the statute books, "a
good old Arkansas law, from the state
Of JEFF Davis, the common peoples
friend, and as SUCH he is sworn to
enforce it, and the chances ar5 ne will