The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-05-10


cnmpromisinr
Barring the Indians loyalty TO
friend perhaps the most praise.
worthy trait of his character lis his
uusWcrNiug fidelity 10 hl, obligations.
I can remember instances of Indians
riding miles through the toughest
kind Of weather to discharge the
most trivial financial obligation. and
have heard OF instances where thoy
have ridden all night in order to meet
their obligations promptly
Why up until the time of the
abolition of tribal laws. Few years
ago. Choc'aw Indians under death
sentence were given their liberty as
soon as sentence was pronounced uu.
on them, provided they would give
their promise to return upon the da,
of execution No guard or watch
Was kept ON them at all. and il is
a notable fact that ia not one sin
gle iastaucc WAS this confidence even
betrayed
Several wears ago full blood
Choc'aW Indian was indicted for mur.
der h} q Choc'aW grand jury. Just
before his trial he was suhpoouacd
as witness % the federal court Al
Paris. IcNus. lie told the officer
h' would hc on hand. Ills trial came
ON. Do was convicted and sentenced
;o ho shot Now. it happened that
iNn d1v set Tor his execution was
the day following that ON which
he was subpOcnacd TO be- i'm Paris
lie wrote letter to the federal
official stating these facts. ana saw.
ing that 1t was such long way
from Paris to the place OF cXecu-
ton. that 1t would De impossible for
him 'o Dee in Paris one dav and az
the place of execution the next. so ne
implorcd the officer. in view of the
more important mandate OF the
ChoCtaw court to excuse him from
appearance at the federal court in
Paris
You will possibly be- surprised at
the statement that the Indian is
very close observer This trait OF his
character is not evident on the sur
face. for the reason that his tact.
turn and supposed stoical disposi-
ton does not disclose this feature.
When you become thoroughly ac.
quainted with his nature. however.
YOU will find that he observes very
closely things which are within the
range of his common experience. lie
draws conclusions that are entirely
iuSt so accurate in fac, as To some.
times astOnsh the white man. but
as 90 matters which are not con.
u"ctod with the ordinary happenings
Of his daily life. he is wholly ur-
able 90 reason. because he has no
knowledge ON which such reasoning
may Dee based His Workmanship and
accurate knowledge of seldom trivors.
ed trails are unmistakable evidence
OF his close observance OF things.
As 10 the proper treatment OF the
Indian problem, | can but rcCur 20
W' statement rs TO Indian character.
There are many different tribes OF
Indians, and in almost every tribe
different degrees OF civilization and
enlightenment. All classes of Indians
cannot be dealt with similarly. and
there are as many different problems
a there are different kinds OF In
dams, multiplied by their different
degrees of civilization
In a general way, woull say that
as soon as the Indian shows any de-
gree of competency | would place
him upon his own resources, and let
him work out the solution OF his
own peculiar Indian problem For
thos" Indians who are still ignorant
and primitive ! should say that the
federal government ought 10 give
them the very closest attention and
protection. such people as these can
not nc civilized I'm day nor a year.
Let the government show fits will
ingup-s to help them You must not
Ia-k Of the Indian to make brick
without straws or produce crops
without agricultural Implements Most
of the Indians are land poor. They
have large areas OF land, In many
cases amply sufficient and i'm excess
of that required By the American
farmers family, but as rule, this
land Is In its virgin state, and the
Indian does not know how to make it
productive. Practical farmers should
be sent among them in abundance to
teach them the arts of agriculture
and frugality. Farming implements
should also be furnished them. A
few cattle and other stock should be
furnished for they are natural stock
raisers. Their land holdings should be-
reduced and as the surplus of each
Indian is sold, the proceeds should
be- made TO apply to permanent i'm
.provcments upon his homestead Close
attention should be given 70 seeing
that the Indians original yi.ucs are
MOT eliminated ia the process of civil
iZ1tiou
] hrlIoy" the enlistment of com
pauios and regiments OF rc-u.al sul-
d'crs composed entirely of fuu blood
Indians would Dee great step to-
ward the solution OF the Indian prob.
lem The love and conquest and bat
tlc is inherent and tenacious i'm the
Indian, and he is easily subjected TO
military discipline II this plan OF
soldering the Indian were 'ullJwcd
to a certain extent, | believe il would
develop some great generals, and
that some of the greatest feats of
valor ever performed on the field OF
battle would be accomplished by
these hatallions OF red men
All Indian tribes are ricn In folk
lore and tradition There is one