The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-04-27
N UNITED STATES CONGRESS
Place the Indian on his Feet With
Full-Fledged American Citizen
ship and He VIII Measure
Up to the Standard.

W HtilAth HINftHtN maui bg lH' So- /
called new members, but it is safe to |
say that none attracted more attcn- !
ton and made deeper impression
upon the house OF representatives |
than the maiden effort OF Charles ID. /
Carter, democrat from Oklahoma, !
his nationality being scyen-siXteenth |
Chickasaw and Cherokee Indian and
nine sixteenth Scotch-lrish. lie is a
descendant OF that Nathan Carter Sr,
who was captured while small
boy by the Shawnee Indians at the
Wyoming VaTey massacre when all
the other members Of the family
except sister were killed. after
wards traded to the Chorokees and
married a full-blood Cherokee woman.
Mr.. Cartcr's speech was speech
in favor of wider opportunities for
the Indian and 1t was listened to
most intently by both sides Of the
chamber. 1t was an earnest plea for
the Indians of Oklahoma particularly.
/ the bill which called forth this
maiden effort OF seven-sixteenth
Indian being a measure providing
, for the Strengthening ont of land
, conditions in the state OF Oklahoma
that will be equitable to all classes
! concerned.
/ IL was Mr. Carter's contention that
a very large proportion of the In
dams in the new state are fully
/ competent to take care of them.
selves and that they are able to
stand up and hold their own with
out the strong arm of the federal
/ government to protect them. He said
/ that I'm round numbers there were
/ 20.00O,000 acres OF land in Oklahoma
thaat is owned by the Indians and
those related to them. This land is
non-taNable and inalienable. the bill
which prompted the very able effort
of MIR Carter providing for the re
moval of restrictions on the surplus
alotmcnts of the mixed blod Indian
OF half or more than half Indian
blood, and firm the Indian freedmen,
but there the bill stopped, leaving
the entire allotment OF the fullblOOd
Indians and the homestead of the
mixed blood Indian OF half or more
than half Of Indian blood in status
quo--that is to say these lands are
inalionable and non-taNable with the
exception that the secretary of the
interior may remove such restrictions
upon a showing of competency by the
Indian or whenever in his opinion
1t will conserve the Indians best in
terest to have part OF such lands
sold
Mr. Carter made the statement that
the Indian whose restrictions are re-
moved by the bin which was under
discussion are as rule just such
men as he Is. He said that If one
will 90 10 oklahoma you will find
that a great many OF these Indians
worlds goods as / and IL you will
attempt 20 make a few deals with
them You viii lind when YOU are
through that yOu are not worth as
much as when YOU started state
ment which caused loud laughter
through the chamber In closing his
address upon the bill and which
passed the house by a vote of 2i9
ayes and no nays, Mr. Carter said
The removal OF restrictions en-
braccd in this bill will not prove a
detriment, but an advantage TO all
the Indians whom IL affects. They are
thoroughly competent, and 1t will
. place them upon their own responsi-
b..lty II will give them an oppor'
tunity to handle their property to
the best advantage without any in
reference on the part OF the fed
efAl government or any one else,
which is always resented by an in
, telligent person. IL will place all the
, burdens OF American citizenship upon
them, and why not, since they re-
ceiye all the benefits? why place
these limitations upon competent cit.
i7ens OF the United States? Listen to
me, You place these indians on their
feet, place them on Their own re-
sponsibility, give them an equal show
with their white brother, grant them
full-fledged American citizenship in
all that the term implies, and mark
my words they will measure up to
the full standard OF your American