The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-09-10
Declares People Look 10
Future With Confidence


report says in part:
If the restrictions upon the aliena-
tion Of the surplus land OF all adult
persons are removed at once hun
dreds and thousands and scores Of |
thousands OF prosperous and we'll to
do land buyers will fiack into our
country from other states Of the
Union. And thus the competition
which will naturally result will force
every acre Of land which is for sale
to bring a fair price In this way our
people will be relieved from the
clutches Of those who would take ad-
vantage of them under present con-
ditions, and the money thus received
from che sale Of their surplus lands
may be used in the improvement and
deveiopnant of their homesteads.
"A further mistake which congress
and the interior department has made
and continues to make is in insisting
Nn making distinction between full
blrods and mixed blood Indians. The
absurdity of this is SO well known to
all who are familiar with conditions in
our country and should be so well
known to those officers " the depart
ment of the interior, who ought to be
camiliar with the conditions here, that
persistence Of the department and con
gress in continuing to make this dis
tinction Is a matter of wonder There
are, Of course, some mixed bloods who
are more competent than some full
bloods, and upon the other hand there
are many full bloods who are vastly
more competent than many mixed
bloods, and any proposition which
emancirates the mixed bIoods from
the clutches of the grafters and gives
them the benefit of the commercial
competition and conditions is mani
testify unjust TO the full bloods. l do
not question the motive of congress-
in thus seeking to protect the inter
ests Of the full bloods, but the inter-
est which has been manifest along
this line is misdirected. 1t is to be
hoped that the exact facts and condi
tions may be SO placed before con-
gress as to bring about the action by
it in the matter Of the removal of re
strlctions such as win relieve our peo-
pie and be beneficial to all classes
without distinction
therefore have 20 recommend that
you pass a suitable memorial embody
ing the suggestions herein contained
together with such others as may be
appropriate.
Whatever may be our regrets for
the past and hopeful anticipations for
the future, the chickasaws are in the
midst e. a condition which is a
reality and that condition Is that the
customs and traditions of our fathers
are no longer our rule and guide in so
far as the protection of our rights and
property is concerned, but we must
low contend, side by side as citizens
Of the United States and OF the new
state Of Oklahoma, with more than a
million other like citizens. The policy
OF the government OF the United
states inauguratcd in 1898 by the rati-
hcation of the Atoka agreement by
congress some three months before
my Inauguration as governor, marks
the beginning, and this policy has been
prrsued step by step and year by year
to It's practical contamination at this
time.
Fortunately realized for the past
eight years, the gradual changing Of
conditions and the inevitable tendency
toward those OF the present, and am
happy to say that the result OF close
Observation Of their course and con-
duct throughout the past years that
they are as well prepared for the
change and look to the future with as
much hope and confidence as could be
expected under the circumstances.
While the radical changes which the
government of the United States has
forced upon our people, with more or
less hostility at first, they have real
lied the sssility OF opposition and have
accepted the inevitable. And now
that the change is practically com-
plete, their original hostility has in a
large measure subslded.
AS citizens Of the new state Of Ok
lahoma, being permitted as they are
10 assist in It's Organization and 10 the
construction OF the consultation and
laws. they fully realize the duty in
cambent upon them TO see that such
constitution and laws are drafted so
as to AFFORD fun protection 70 their
rights and property, and - this duty
they are now addres themselves
- try and goS lll Instead
your nerves are weak, when you ~