The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-12-12
INDIANS MAY ASK
FOR FEDERAL PIE
Harding Will BE Asked to
Remember the
Cherokees
OWEN FIRST OFFICIAL
Ross Once Favorably Consid-
cred but Prejudice Pre-
vailed Against Him

TA1ILFQUAt. okla, Dec. Ii
That thcrc VIII be several mem
bcrs uf the Cherokee nIIiuu among
applicants for var,rug important
governmental positions when frcHi.
dent elect Harding has assumed the
rcins ~ government ihorr Ie no
doubt ard 10 ~ Guit" probable that
some Chcrokocs viii receive ap.
pointmont since tho adminlstra-
ton of rtcs.dont Wilson hogan
Houston Techoc, a Cherokee, re-
ceivcd tho position of registrar Of
the treasury and Indians or other
nations have been placed IN gov
ornmcntdl positions. In pnH ddyH
however, none of tho members Of
tho fNo civilized tribes was ever APP
pointed. There were "a number OF
very able men among the various
nations, but as the Indians were
then without United States citizen
ship u was not considered that any
OF them were entitled tu become
officials of the government Al
though the native Americans wcro
wards of the government they had
no standing an citizens Of the re-
public and for that reason individ-
ual members met with disapvuint-
mont IN seeking political prefer
ment.
And on several occasions when
admission to the West Point mill
tafy academy was sought by ambi-
tious young men OF the Cherokee
nation their applications were ad-
veTcly passed upon At Intervals OF
number OF years two members Of
one OF the old ard leading families
OF this nation. through their rola-
tlvos. Indicated to tho proper au-
thorities that the young men would
like tn have the advantage OF bo-
coming students Of the famous mil
itary academy, but the fact that
none Of tho Indian nations were
United states citizens was brought
up and there were In consequence
no Indian students or Indian off
GERS. In somewhat latert years.
however. there was an exception In
the appo .ntment of Indians TO gov
ernmental office when the present
United states senator X. L. owen
received the position OF United
States agent for the five civilized
tribes. But II has been related thai
when Mr.. owen was questioned IA
to his citizenship he replied, II an.
a Virglnian."
On one occasion long before the
appointment of Mr.. owen. the ap.
pointment OF eS-Principai Chief "
T.. Ross was seriously considered aa
agent. Some days had been spcn,
by his friends III congress In his
behalf and It was thought that
within n few days the appointment
would bo forthcoming. All the
while the cX-chici had been at his
home at Fort Gibson. but he decided
tn go to Wash .ngton and did so.
arriving only n day or NO before the
appointment wolilu al he made Then.
as at other times. there were in
Washington n number OF statesmen
and ncarstatesmen who were OF the
opinion that II would be unwise to
entrust a citizen OF an Indian nation
with official position. These per-
sons feared. or pretended tina, they
feared that ther. might some day
be an Indian uprising. although the
Cherokccs had not engaged In war
fare with the white race since the
closing decades OF the 18th century,
1t was soon ascertained that the
applicant from the Cherokee nation
was In Washington and II was de-
cided To summon him before the
committee and subject him To some
questions concerning matters con
nectod with the Indians. Finally
some one asked tho question: "ln
case OF trouble By the Indians with
the government would you adhere
to the Indians or To the govern
ment." The roply was that, II. OF
course. would uphold my people"
Although there way not the least
shadow OF n chance that the Chero-
koes would ever have an armed COM
flict with the government the reply
was sufficient to lose the ox-chief
OF the Cherokoes the appointment