The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-03-22

think and act for himself any further
attempt to supply the demands OF nj.
life or stand sponsod for his acts
simply stimulates the indolenca in
his nature and destroys such in -
pendent and initiative character a.
you have been able to construct.
The intelligent mixed blood Indians
of our tribes have Enthusiastically AZ.
tanned the object of federal super.
vision, to-wit-intelligent self.relian,
citizenship. What such educated In.
dians as these need is to be let alone
Let the federal government loosen
its hold Remove their restrictions .
make them free; give them a show,
and guarantee they will make good
as American citizens.
The Kickapoo land frauds recently
unearthed have been cited and ex.
plotted as an argument against the
removal OF restrictions for the five
civilized tribes. Such acts of loot and
plunder as seem to have been com.
mitted on these poor, ignorant ycGrlc
are most reprehensible aud warrant
ngid punishment under the law; but
tie argument that this circumstance
Is any reason for the retention cf
restrictions on the lands of intelligent
Indians is the sheerest kind of soph.
istry.
These Kickapoos are Indians of the
very lowest degree of civilization and
mentality, uneducated and almost saw
age in instinct. They sold their lands
to move TO Mexico, and the very fact
that they wanted TO leave a great
country like this and go to Mexico.
or any other place ought to have been
sufficient notice that the Kicking
Kickapoos were incompetent
But seriously and in fairness these
people can no more be compared
with the educated mixed-breed Choc-
taw, for instance, simply because
they are both of American Indian
stock, than can the most ignorant.
dog.eating Igorrote be compared to
the shrewd aggressive Jap because
they are both of Asiatic-Malay origin.
To sum up briefly, said | believe
the imposition OF these restrictions,
according to existing laws, bad for
the Indian; bad for the state OF
Oklahoma, and contrary to the spirit
of American liberty. 1t is bad for the
mixed breed Indian, because it ham.
pers the independence Of an intel,i
gent man. prevents him from using
his property to the best advantage,
teaches him to lean upon another;
teaches him to be a tax dodger. and
destroyos his self reliance, which we
will all agree is the most potent ele-
ment contributing to the composition
of untrammeled American manhood.
It is bad for the uneducated full
blood, because its trains at a goal it
has failed to reach; teaches him du-
plicity and knayery, which crimes
he is not given 10 in his primitive
state; denies him the funds with
which to improve his lands by limit
ing the market to adventurous pur-
chasers only.
1t is bad for the state of Oklahom1,
because during the embryonic pc
riod of this young Commonwealth
1t takes from its tax sheets almost
one half of the lands, prevents le-
gitimate dealing in land, prevents PEI
manent improvements on lands, pre-
vents home building and builds up a
system of tenantry the like OF when
American civilization has never seen
before. 1t is contrary to the spirit
of American liberty because it places
restrictions on the rights and acts OF
competent and intelligent people, SOW
ereign citizens of the United States,
and who are not charged with the
commission of any offense whatever
against either law or morals.
Not being versed in the law, Il
would be presumptiye in me to dis
cuss the legality or constitutionality
of this question before this body OF
eminent lawyers. ! do, however, ask
the indulgence OF the committee in
calling to its attention certain sl
preme court decisions which | be
lieve affect, vitally, this question.
In the case of the Cherokee nation
VS.. the State of Georgia Go Peters p
- Chief Justice Marshall delivered an
opinion which / understand to be
tho fret IagaI definition pf the term