The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-05-03
AM ADDRESS TO THE
PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA
BY S. E. Rutherford. Of Muskogee. Candidate
for the United States Senate

t5e threshold II statehood are 4
anomalous, and apparently 50 IT,
reconcilable with the needs # a pros
porous state, as 10 make intelligent
action on the part Of the people in the
organization Of the state anc the Sc
lection Of our first corps Of officers
apparently impossible. Indeel, 1heS
are such as would discourage a less
hopeful people than composing The
citizenship Of the proposed state q
Oklahoma, ,hailing, as the majority Of
our citizens do, from every section Of
the globe, bringing with them a heter-
ogeneous mass Of ideas entirely at a
variance with the conditions they
find. The people are unacquaipted
with one another, and the time inter
vening between now and the pri-
mary election is 50 limited as to pre-
clude the possibility Of making per-
sonal campaign, and extending per-
sonal acquaintance with but a small
number, which makes it necessary on
the part Of those seeking the suffrage
Of the people to avail themselves Of
every means and opportunity Of plac-
ing their views before them.
In view Of these facts, avail my
self Of this means Of expressing 10
the people Of Oklahoma, briefly, my
views On some questions Of chief mo-
ment, and questions, too, pertain
ing to the duties Of the office to which
| aspire.
am a candidate for the United
States senate, andsmy long residence
in this country, and careful study
Of the conditions and Of the progress
made in the settlement Of the Indian
questions fit me, in my humble opin-
ion, to be Of some service in their So
luton.
The time may be far distant when
the political arrangements Of our
country will reach the highest ideals
Of which our social instincts are cap
able, but every life honestly spent
in the common veal, and every hour
70 the earnest study Of the public
good, viii bring that day more surely
within our reach.
TIE most important question first
claiming the attention Of our people
and which demands immediate action,
is that Of the settlement Of the affairs
Of the Indians Of the Five Civilized
Tribes.
The object Of government being to
secure to every individual the full
freedom for the exercise of his facul-
ties, and the right to the fullest en-
joyment Of the fruits Of his labor,
makes it imperative that every citi-
zen, as rapidly as possible, be dig
nified with all the privileges that the
word citizenship implies.
The absurd policy adopted BY the
government Of the United States for
the control nd settlement Of the In
dian aifaira becomes all the more mon
strous when viewed from this stand
point. That the retention Of restric-
tions is an outrage to the intelligence
Of the Indian, to the integrity Of the
white citizen, and to the growth Of the
state, needs no argument to demon.
strate. They must be removed-and
upon that point 7 stand for the abso.
Lutte removal Of restrictions on The
alienation Of Indian lands, and if any
need the protection Of government ir
the management Of their affairs (ant
some few will), that such estates b,
transferred from the department o.
the interior at Washington to OH,
local state courts. The tGlians ash
this, the development Of the country
requires it, and the needs Of the stat,
demand it.
In the discussion Of this question
much confusion has been created. TIL,
failure to realize that the conditions
that will surround a senator anc
those that attend lobbyist who il
sent to Washington under present COZ
ditions to secure relief, are vastly diff
ferent, has given rise to this condition
Of the public mind. The present con
ditions have resulted in the robbery
Of the Indian and the enriching Of tn,
land spectators. To remove thes,
restrictions will not be so difficult al
some would think An intelligent ex
posure Of the frauds suffered BY tn,
Indians in consequence thereof alon,
is sufficient to convince those who
by indifferent attention to the affairs
OF this country, have been led int
this ridiculous system Of government
IN practice here. When Oklahoma
ha7 been admitted into the Union AZ
q state the same dignity and power
That attaches to every senator through
"A