The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-06-10
IF IS TIME.

IT IS TIME.
 It Is stated that MT Garfield, Sec retary of the Interior is engaged in trying to formulate and enforce a new policy for the government of Indian Territory. This leads The Kansas City Journal to say:
 The present policy was adopted on the theory that there isn't an honest white man in the Indian Terrltory' either in or out of office. Every regu, rule of Secretary Hitchcock was aimed at the grafter and crooked ofhcial, two classes which included the enire white population of that couh'Iy, EsvelY lY business transaction between the white man and the Indian was not only scrutinized by a horde of government officials in the territory, but had to run the gamut of numerous bureau of ficials in Washington, including the secretary himself. After the terrltorlai officials would submit their recommen- dations, clerks in the Washington de- partment would not only review the transaction between the white man and Indian, but would also scrutinlZe the part of the officials who made 1t. It was this constant suspicion against everybody ins the territory. lnciuding officials, that incubated the red tape 
 yelopment of that country.
 Bear in mind that this severe but just criticism comes from Republican newspaper, and a supporter Of the ad- ministrations which allowed or ordered such diScreditable policies and prac- tices as are here set forth. We do not claim or charge that there IS really anything new in these charges. For years the management of affairs in the territory has been carried on in a way that is little less than in famous, and in a way that would not be attempted or submitted to in any other part of the government. As rule the people of Indian Territory the actual citizens, we mean-are just as honest as are those of any other section of the country. We do not in clude in this list the government em- ployes and officials, for most of them seem to have been on the make and have not been at all particular as to the methods they resorted to.
 The real citizens of the territory are
  yet the policy pursued by our govern ment and its officials has been based on the theory that all the people, both white and red, are rascals, and they have been treated accordingly. As matter of course there are dishonest men there, just as there are elsewhere, and doubtless there has been crooked practices carried on by territorial of- ficials chosen by the people them selves, but we suspect that in ma jority of such cases these discreditable home officials were merely practicing what they had learned from govern ment employees among them To quote again from The Journal, the chief complaint among the people of Indian Territory is that their government Is 1900 miles away from them and that its official head has no conception of existing conditions; at least that its old head-Mr. Hitchcock-had none. If the officials on the ground, clothed with the necessary administrative powers, were allowed to use their discretion. without AHleTIeTeHCt ny q @oV-n-hhSii~h ~h clerk in Washington, 1t would go long way towards establishing friend ly relations between the people and the government and would aid wonder fully in the development of the h. dian country. At the same time, it would afford protection against graft CTS fully as ample as the present sys- tenn does"
 It is announced that Secretary Gar field proposes soon to visit the Ter ritory and make a thorough and ex- tended examination for himself into the conditions existing there and the remedy needed. If he does this in a conscientious manner, and will set himself honestly to finding and apply ing a remedy for the many evils he will find he will be able to do justice where it is almost unknown, but he will have to wipe out the entire Hitchcock regime and begin anew. In this way and no other can the people there have the justice and fair tratment they have so long failed to get
 BETTER LOOK AT HOME.