The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-22
- Poor Lo Divides Again -

homes on the reservation. He employs
white help and has a house near MIS-
residence In which the laborers live,
much on the same plan as the negroes
do in the Southern States.
The land farmed by the Indians Is
not owned by them individually. The
Ierty Of all Of them. none OF I, be.
ling allotted in severalty. Several OF
the head men in the tribe, including
Chief Mocktilma and Subchief Jarper
i are opposed TO the opening OF the
preservation, and insist that the land be
retained as tribal reservation In
stead of being allotted in severalty.
Most OF the Indians, however, are an1-
Iious for the division OF the land. Prob
ably not more than score OF them
ARE opposing the allotment, and, as
they have no authority to stop or hln-
der the work, their opposition amounts
I to little.
Those members OF the tribe. who have
Improved farms will probably select
the lands they have under cultivation
as their permanent allotment, or az
married Indian has family OF several
tchildren he will thus be enabled to
secure large tract OF land in one
body. and the largest farms may thus
Improved them. a family of five Will
ibe allowed 500 acres. so II an Indian
land his wife have but three children
,tiiey may secure farm this size. The inn
j
jsonal property OF the Indian who put
them there and Will be retained BY
him, even should he not retain the
Hand.
. Public allotmen,s are much more or
lderly affairs to-day than they were
prior TO eight years ago. Before that
thine the land rush. was the order OF
doing II. To-day IL Is sort OF q faro
game, but the weak have equal chance
with the strong. In the bygone days
lhomeseekers would gather by the thou-
Islands along the border OF the land to
lbe opened. Some OF them would look
lquarter. and get as near them
Jas possible before the opening gun was
fired. Then would come the grand
rush. Men and women. mounted on the
.ifleetest Of horses, would ride at break
meek speed. and II two or three hap
ipened 10 want the same quarter-sec-
ton there was often blood spilled and
money spent In litigation.
4 About eight years ago Secretary
/ Hitchcock adopted the present method
lot allotment. having imported 1t from
New Zealand. 1t Is said. But even now
few are chosen" When the reservation
|around FL Reno. Oklahoma. was OPEN
ed up It was expected that some Co.
900 persons would apply for homes IN
Istead there were $4,000 applications
for the 10000 farms that We're given
AWAY.
q The Supreme Court OF the United
States has declared. IN the famous cas- 9
lcarried there by Lone Wolf, chief OF
the Kiowas. that the Indians have Only
, 1.-THE right OF occupation to their lands.
land that Congress may do as 1t sees
; fit with them. There are now nearly
!. 500 100000 acres of public lands In the
United States. approximately onc-hait
OF which is In Alaska Nearly 100000
, 900 acres have been opened up and sold
since 1900. The Indian population on
!. Observations in 1905 was 291,0oo. In
!. I1ss0it was 25s 900. The area of Indian
| LANDS amounted TO 154.ooo.0oo acres in
a t1Sso TODAY it has shrunk IT. 10000
!, 900 acres, or just about one-half.
+ downright, 1908. by Frederic j.
: Haskin.)
To Morrow-Lapanese in Portland.