Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-23
LIKE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
SAD SCENES AT DISSOLUTION OF
INDIAN NATION.
Committee of Prominent Red Men to
Set Forth Their Wants Be-
fore Congress.

Chickasaw Indians, like the Children Of
| Israel, have ceased to be q nation" At
the last session of the legislature. at the
conclusion of the final business. the two
houses joined In singing "Auld Lang Syne
The ChickaSaws now realize that they must
mingle with the white men who have come
In their midst to carve out state and
earn their livelihood.
They also realize that their Legislature
up to short time ago held full sway In
their section of the country. and enacted
laws to govern both the Indian and the
white man who sojourned with them 1t
was. therefore. with much reluctance that
the Chickasaws gave up their individuality
as a nation.
They could only recommend to Congress
legislation, that they most desired. In an
endeavor to protect the properly OF Ihe IN
dian from the intrudng whites the Depart
ment of the Interior did everything out
the right thing at times. The Chickasaws
are among the most intelligent OF all the
Indian tribes and never in the history OF
the nation did they live in tepees or wear
blankets, but have always been tiliers OF
the soil and believers in education. one
of the many things that has displeased
the Chickasaws, and against which the ma
ton has protested most vigorously. Is the
fact that the federal government mas as
sumed control of the Indian schools, and
furnished, as they claim, inferior teachers
lOF THEIR
Leading Men to Come Here.
A committee of the leading men Of the
once proud nation will, when Congress
meets again. be at Washington and present
to the great chief a memorial calling upon
Congress for the enactment OF certain
laws that will be Of benefit to the future
growth of their country.
This committee will consist Of Gov. D. II.
Johnston the last of the governors; Martin
v. Cheadle. at one time attorney general OF
the nation, but the last presiding officer Of
the senate. and Ben Colbert. man prom
inent in Indian affairs. These gentlemen
have been closely identified with the af-
fairs of their people f"- the last thirty
years more They are Indians and know
the needs of their people better than a man
who sits behind desk in Washington be-
lieving that every white man in Indian Ter
rttory is CRATER. These men are scholarly
and practical and know what steps are nee
essary to make an Indian a good citizen.
1t. Is claimed that for years the govern
ment has had In its hands untold wealth
which belongs to the Indians. This wealth
the Ind ans want turned over to them. In
stead of the present S stem of schools. the
Indian wants his old system put in vogue
until statehood is well under way. when the
state system will then be adopted.
Are Ready for Citizenship.
The most important matters that Con-
gress will be memorialized to consider will
be the following:
The Indian wants restrictions removed
Sd that he may sell his lands. 1t is the de-
sire of the red men to assume the duties
OF citizenship alongside of his white broth
er. so that he may bear the just burden of
taxation and sell his lands, except the
homestead. With the money TO be derived
from the sale of the surplus he will i'm
prove the homestead, build homes and till
the soil. 1t is the desire of the Indian to
have his restrictions removed so as to get
from under the cloud of the CRATER The
recommendations made by Secretary Gar
field on his visit to Indian Territory recent
ly are what the Chickasaw Indian desires
The memorial also pleads with Congress
that the segregated mineral, coal and as
phalt lands be sold to the best advantage
to the state. If possible, to be used by the
state school f.ld, and the funds equal
~ distributed among the members of the
tribe.
Another important piece of legislation
that is desired and for which the Indians
have memorialized Congress Is the sale of
all the unadlotted surplus lands. these
lands to be sold in small or large tracts to
the best advantage. IS
The leased district claim they want set
tied. and want the money, all over cents
for 1t. put to the credit of the Indians. The
government. several years ago. leased
large quantity Of land from the Indians.
paying them cents per acre and then
afterward leased the lands to other parties
at a price ranging around s1.25 per acre.
The Indians want this difference and look
with suspicion on the treatment received
from the government on this deal. They
want Congress to allow them to establish
a bureau Of information in Washington so
the nation may have representatives pres
ent to guard the interests of the Indians
This representative they want to be a
member of the tribe and recommend Gov.
Johnson as the man.
1t Is desired that the present tribal system
Of schools under federal supervision be
abolished and the moneys held in trust by
the federal government for the Indians be
disbursed. and the Indians be allowed to
run the schools under the old tribal system
until statehood is established.
The Indians want pay for the Jack Cor
don park reservation.
Stole Braves Shed Tears.
The memorial also sets out that distribu-
ton, per capita, of all tribal moneys. treaty
funds, townsite funds, invested funds and
funds otherwise due, be made equally
among the members of the nation, and the
affairs wound up at the earliest convenience.
1t Is also the desire of the Indians that tbs
public buildings, such as schoolhouuses
and churches. courthouses. and the lands
belonging thereto. be sold to the best ad-
vantage and divided.
The petition also sets out that the money
due the nation on the negro freedmen al
lotments be paid into the common fund of
the tribe and divided with the remainder of
the funds.
The question of the small reservation
they want adjusted. and county high
school established from the adjustment Of
the sale Of these reservations
In the closing hours Of the final session OF
the Indian Territory legislature many of
the full bloods shed tears at the parting
and the dissolution Of the once proud
strong and historic nation Of their fathers
but found some consolation In the fact Thai
they will be an important part in the forty
sixth star of the great constellation of
American states. The new state Of Okla
homa will have in Congress two senator's
and five representatives