The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-03-16

'tNicA"Ais lSAiuNtu tue money IS pdlu
to the restricted Indian in Such
amounts as is thought advisable
through these district agents, who as
sist them in the expenditure of the
money to the best advantage of the
Indian; the district agents cooperate
with the probate courts to the end that
the accounts of guardians are checked
up. reports made, and that their funds
are not squandered; the district
agents in fact hear every kind Of a
grievance of the fullblood or restrict
ed Indian, and they do what they can
to assist them Just as every mother
and father does what he or she can to
aid and advise their minor chield. No
honest probate court is opposed to the
cooperate nof fair-minded. upright
official Every county Judge in eastern
Oklahoma, every tribal attorney and
every tribal chief has written letter
fayoring the district agent system.
We might as well be frank about ii,
everybody who is familiar with the In
dian. his history and tradition, knows
that he needs assistance in the man.
agement of his lands. Sixteen hundred
and eighty fullblood Cherokees who
were arbitrarily, allotted land refused
to take the patents sent to them
through the mails out of the post Of
flee ,and they refusde to 60 upon the
land or accept any proceeds there
from. Will any intelligent person say
that these poor misguided people do
not need assistance; that they are
able to care for themselves, or that
they will protect themselves? The
truth is that every one knows who is
at all familiar with the Indian that he
will not assert his rights in a civil
suit. Ask the lawyers of the country
how many civil suits they have had
for fullblood Indians. Some of them
will answer that they have had
few. That is quite true, they are an
exception. and If these Indians are
competent to manage their own affairs
then | am iii favor of removing the
restrictions from their lands and let
them manage their own affairs; but
know and every good citizen through
out the eastern part of Oklahoma
knows that If the district agents are
abolished that in less than year there |
will be thousands of illegal leases,
deeds and other encumbrances filed /
of record upon their lands. II there
are no local agents to assist the In
dian, to advise him of his legal rights, I
to help him to get into court, to help
him prepare his case and to get his /
no civil action would be
brought and the man in the illegal
would retain it, Every land |
speculator and CRATER in eastern Okla
homa knows this, and every one of
them is stirring up public sentiment
against the district agent, and every I
one of them is causing as many let
.ers to be written as possible to mem
Oers Of congress against them. If any
district agent Is either dishonest or
Incompetent he should be removed.
am defending the system, not the in
and I am trying to arouse
public sentiment against the whole
'ale attack of the system. have
lad occasion to closely observe the
work of the district agents, and know
hat they have been compelled to ad-
Yersely report upon many leases, ap-
,lications for the removal of restric-
ions, payment of claims, and other
hings submitted to them Every dis
appointed man is against them.
Through my veins courses Cherokee
,lood trust that will not live long
inough to see the fullbIood members
# my race homeless in theiy own
ountry, wanderers in their own land.
rhey thought they were protected by
he old treaties, binding upon them
nd sacred to them; they resisted the
hange in their for mof government;
hey did not invite the individualiza-
ion Of their lands because they had
Iever been used to an individual title,
nd they appreciated that they had
ever had any experience in dealing
With the title to lands. Their fears
yere justified, for the records show
hat thousands of leases. deeds and
ther evidences Of eneumbrance in
ioIation Of protective provisions of
aw for little or no consideration have
cen gotten from them and placed of
ecord. Without the assistance Of To-
al men in the field all Of these illegal a
eases and deeds might as weI be
alidated Everybody knows this +
Why not speak the truth2 What the
lhre Of the Indian in eastern Okla
oma Is to be Is great problem The \
tate is doing commendable wofa,