The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1913-01-11
MAY THE GOOD LORD HELP US.

passing attention and resentment In
order that the matter may be properly
understood in its entirety We repro
duce herewith the editorial from Col
lier's:
we have believed it more helpful
to stay out OF the chorus Of more or
less insistent suggestion which nags
Mr.. Wilson about his cabinet making.
But when Senator owen demands that
the Interior department be given to
Oklahoma, it is time to sccak up.
large part OF the interior departments
work consists in looking after the In
dlans; and If there is any man in Okla
homa who either can or will deal hon
estly with an Indian, he Is too lonely
to get much Endorsement for public
office. The Indians have got to be
treated not according to the public
opinion which prevails in the commun-
tiles who are in direct contact with
them, and who make money by steal
ing from them, but according to the
ideas Of justice throughout the coun-
try as a whole. In Oklahoma Indian
minors are the wards Of the probate
courts; the expenses of administra-
ton in these cases average about
nineteen per cent OF the estate. Law.
yers will understand the significance
OF the figures The expense of admin
istering an estate ought not to ex-
ceed four per cent, and when the Ok
lahoma minor is white it does not ex-
ceed that. A good deal of the Indian
land and public domain in Oklahoma
has already been stolen and some
opulent citizens of that state are now
enjoying IT, The next secretary Of the
interior, must be, like the present one
man who holds this property secure
for its owaers
Following this editorial was an
other in the same issue Of Golfers
urging the retention of Secretary
Fisher in Mr. Wilson's cabinet. The
inconsistency of the statement that
Golfers has not joined the chorus OF
insistent cabinet suggestors, is there
fore so apparent that no further com
ment is necessary But the poini
which The World disputes with Col
lier's is that because OF the Indian
business no Oklahoma man can b'
trusted to handle the interior depart
meat. The contention might as wei
be made that because most OF th'
navy business is with points on th'
seaboard that no man should be Sc
leeted for that position from STATE
that has seaport Golfers is 60
ing on the assumption that because o
the scandals and graft in handling In
dian busiress in this state that al
men in Oklahoma are crooks an
that they cannot be honest with th'
Indian. II is a false assumption ant
as unwarranted as it Is untrue, W
are not prepared to say that Okla
homa has the best man for secretar
of the interior, but to say that no on
from this state should be considere
In that connection because the priI
cipal Indian business is here, is to
thin to be worthy of consideration
What Is needed most Of all in ever
department of the federal goYernmer
that has anything to do with India
affairs. is men who are familiar frol
personal contact and experience wit
the actual conditions affecting the Il
dian. No man who Is not thus equi
ped can possibly bring to the publ
service the ripe Judgment which
required First of all there should
a secretary of the interior and a col
missioner of Indian affairs who W
exert every effort to bring the aifa
of the government with the indian
as speedy an end as possible. It
the best thing for the Indian and q
best thing for Oklahoma and the be
thing for the general government, tn
9nsention was fully proven in {
Philippines, in Hawaii and in Cul
The affairs and plans of the goYeI
ment in each instance were conduct
with this object in mind and resu
have ampuly proven the wisdom OF
eourse. The same result will follt
in the governments dealings with I
Indians. They want their rights, tn
property and the privilege OF han
ling it to suit themselves. The lone
the government exercises its wardsl
the less qualified and more inco
petent they become. the greater
responsibility on the government a
the more prolific the opportunities
grating and crookedness. Let
people OF Oklahoma have chance