Show AMONG THE CHEROKEES The Cherokee National Council is yet in session The two branches are termed the senate consisting of eighteen members and the council of thirty-six thirty members While white whit adopted citizens may be elected to either house and occupy any office except that of Principal Chief yet the upper house senate is com com- composed composed composed posed entirely of Indian blood and thE lower house council has two white men and one freedman or negro One unacquainted with this fact however would consider each PaCh branch as containing third one-third each of whites half-breeds half and fun full full bloods bloods During their sittings the proceed proceed- proceedings proceedings proceedings ings are very slow as all aU speeches peeches t made all documents read and everything which transpires must be gi given ven in both languages there being members in both houses who id f J can an understand but hut one language r Every sentence spoken in the Cher- Cher Cherokee Cherokee okee Cher-okee okee tongue occupies fully twice as ast t much time as when rendered in English thus during session hours urs the time is mostly spent in leading and interpreting committee reports r- r rand and communications and work is mostly attended to in committee f rooms where interpreters are also generally required Most of the theT business Is done by half a dozen of J T the ablest men of each body and many of the present incumbents are but their first lessons in legislative matters Chaplains are not among the appointed officers who receive pay for services and andall andall an all prayers are offered gratuitously A limited number of desks eske are pro pro- provided provided provided vided but the majority are without without and generally rest easily against a the wall apparently taking no notice of what is going on As the members use tobacco freely fredy and almost con con- continually continually continually in some form the room in which they sit i ie is often enveloped in a dense cloud of smoke Spectators Spectators tors are allowed the liberty of listen listen- listening listening listening ing and run from one room to an- an another another an another other oftentimes making the pro pro- proceedings proceedings pro proceedings difficult to be understood because of noise and at this session so BO much interest is being heing l eing taken as asto asto asto to what action the council will pur pur- pursue pursue pursue sue on certain questions there is a greater number of visitors than usual This making law-making body is not in any way free from the professional professional now a lobbyists who no now days days w-a-days loiter around legislatures while in session Four weeks have passed since the council assembled The thirty days limitation expires December but an extra session may be called by the chief but only to considEr such business as he may place before them Very little has been accomplished accomplished accomplished thus far and questions which public interest has been centered on are now but beginning to be consid consid- considered considered considered ered The propositions regarding regard ing the sale of the land laud known as the Cherokee Outlet were referred to the Senate committee on foreign rela rela- relations relations relations and recently they have re- re reported re reported ported As there are some of the Nations Nation's s ablest men considering this question no doubt the Indians Indian's welfare will be kept in view To thIs committee the United States Stares commissioners submitted all the propositions which they were em em- empowered empowered empowered powered to and providing the Indians Indians In- In cannot do better those offers may be accepted The Cherokees from the lands ceded to them in this Territory ha ve already sold to the government held in trust for the various tribes over two million acres of land on their Outlet to settle friendly Indians on and the money accruing from those s sales les at their appraised value is in invested invested vested in United States bonds as is isy y provided by treaty that all cur cur- currency currency currency rency received from sale of lands shall be The commission in addition to offering per acre for the un- un unoccupied unoccupied un unoccupied occupied land propose adding an amou amount nt to that already paid sufficient sufficient ent to raise the price of those lands settled by friendly tribes to per acre with the exception of the lands occupied by the Osage Nation NEED All the land sold to these tribes tribes- tribes the Nez Perces Pawnees Otoes and were conveyed to them at the same time and in similar manner and it is not explained why the Osage tract is the payment offered could not be otherwise claimed for any of the lands thus sold If the Cherokees desire the whole amou amount nt w which the conveyance of the land will over bring bring over can can be divided among the people each in- in indi individual in individual di vidual citizen obtaining ng about or one-half one can be paid to the people eople and the interest on the balance invested in U S A bonds will give them an annual income of the whole sum can be invested at 5 per cent per annum In fact the money is to be completely at the disposal of the Cherokees In all payments to the people of the nation the white adopted citizens do not share only share those of Indian blood and freed freed- freedmen freedmen men freed men and their descendants who were slaves in the nation at the time of the war and returned prior to 1868 also two sma small tribes the and Shawnees who have settled among the Cherokees and become part of the nation Nothing definite has yet been done but the offer uffer of will probably probably probably ably be rejected The committee in whose bands hands the matter was in- in in trusted has reported adversely pre pre- presenting presenting presenting two resolutions viz the majority favoring informing the theco theco- theco co that the proposals were not acceptable the minority providing for a committee to treat further with the commissioners But substitute a has been Introduced and will probably pass providing for a delegation of four or six to conti continue nue negotiations with instructions instructions instructions to decline the present offer and submit a R proposition to sell sen the land for a greater value in connection with the understanding that the United States will rectify grievances of which the Indians complain This su substitute was Introduced by Hon L H Bell Pr President ident of the Senate and one of the shrewdest politicians and aud legislators among the Cherokees I 1 11 t is almost certain this will be the next movement The fhe principal chief still sun continues his opposition to a sale under present proposals and the majority in both houses are pledged to the same political party and platform as the chief This fact has its weight The commissioners negotiations with other Indians however have apparently a better prospect of suc suc- success success cess The Choctaw and Chickasaw National Councils have considered with favor the proposals for the sale of their lands lying between the degree and the degree longi longi- longitude longitude longitude tude and containing over acres on which there are now friendly Indians Indiana and have h ve appoint appoint- appointed ed delegates to meet the commis commis- commissioners commissioners commissioners empowering the former to sell the lands They are are now on their way to the Cherokee capital but the action of the Cherokees will have a bearing upon the course ot of the representatives from the other civilized nations Lands occupied by the Indians not as civilized as the five ve nations lying between the outlet and the Choctaws and Chickasaws lands will wiH possibly be- be become become be become come government property The I Indians there have no title to the lands on which they are but are controlled entirely by the United States so 80 negotiations with them themas themas themas as to a sale are not necessary The Tt Territory of Oklahoma is situ situ- situated situated situ situated in the very heart of the Indian country surrounded on all aU sides by Indian lands The object in treating with these Indians is to open up a sufficient area for settlement to form forman forman forman an additional Territory or State If It negotiations nt negotiations are successful more than twenty million acres will be added to the Oklahoma tract the tract lands of the Indians being decreased and the domain of the white man extended This has been such a prominent poll policy y for many genera genera- generations that it is now looked upon as a proper plan to follow No doubt the public land land strips west of the Terri Terri- Territory Territory Territory tory will also be included In the pro pro- proposed proposed proposed posed extension The disposition to be made of those Indians now living Jiving upon the tracts before mentioned is to offer them a choice of lands in their lee res- reservations les before they are opened to fA settlement and become citizens of the United States In the event of those tribes refusing to accept this disposition abandon their tribal relations and live Jive among the whites the government may move them on to the lands owned by some of the other nations In case the Cherokees refuse to sell their lands these Indians can be placed on the outlet lands after an appraised appraised value is paid the present owners owners In the treating at present with the Cherokee Council many o 0 those interested in the question have construed certain statements of the ion commis-ion and Secretary o 0 othe I the Interior as an attempt to coerce them into selling Prominent in inthis Inthis inthis this rt regard gard is the assertion that if the outlet or strip is not sold BOld soldat soldat at the present offer friendly Indians will be settled thereon and a less value per acre paid and that other Indians may also be settled east of the degree which is the land gi given ven the Cherokees for homes The last treaty with this nation provides bedone that this may be done and it is an objectionable part to the Indians The commis commis- commission commission commission sion stipulation propose to abrogate this tion in connection with the sale e I This latter tract if to the present claimants would give them thema e ea a trifle over acres to each citi cUi- citizen citizen ze zen l land and a great proportion of it is 18 unfit for cultivation Indians While the placing ing of other In- In In could be done should they abandon their tribal relations and be given giyen land in different sections of the country it cannot be done if it the Indians Indiana persist in maintaining their tri tribal bal status as there is not sufficient sufficient clent unoccupied land to allot acres to each head without inter inter- interfering Interfering interfering fering with the lands now BOW under cultivation Such settlement is only allowable by permission of the Cherokee provided the President of the States Stares shall United not declare r the objections insufficient tT No small amount of speculation is indulged in as to the title pos- pos y b S t t a 1 40 f seated abased ses by the Cherokees to the outlet west It is a question on which eminent jurists Jurists and govern govern- government government government ment officers differ and th the com com- commissioners missioners er to avoid any disputation the subject propose to buy all aU tUlle tilde claim or interest which the j Indians may have The United States cannot compel comp l a sale or take the land without the consent of the Cherokees except by violating their e But they can settle friend friend- friendly friendly friendly ly Indians thereon by paying an Y appraised v value ue But the Indians nave ave the right to lease the outlet lands to whom they wish Th The Cherokee Ch rok Indians when tb they sold th their jr lands east eist of the Mississippi sippi to the United States re- re rec received re received ived c in exchange acres to be used as homes acres since sold and the outlet westin west in all aU over acres in ad addition ad- ad to a money consideration In the treaty describing the thebo bo boundaries of the two first mentioned tracts there is fur fur- fu further further r- r ther guaranteed to the Ch Cherokee nation a perpetual outlet west and a afree afree afree free and unmolested use of the coun coun- try-lying try west of the western boun boun- boundary boundary boundary dary of the lands set apart for homes and letters patent shall be ber r issued as soon BOon as practicable forthe for forthe forthe the land and guaranteed The land was so surveyed and the Bin patent issued in 1838 by which the theM M 1 13 3 J Cherokees were to have and to hold the the same together with all th the rights privileges es and appurtenances Y thereto belonging to the Cherokee nation forever fore provided however however that certain rights be reserved to the United States these being mainly to allow other Indians to get salt Irom from the salt plains thereon that if the Cherokee nation become becom extinct 3 z o i th the same it shall re- re revert revert re revert vert to the United States and the United Jolted States may settle any friendly Indiana Indians thereon to be betaken k taken n in compact form fonn in quan quan- quantity quantity quantity quan- not net exceeding acres for each member of said tribes thus tobe to tobe be settled the parties interested to f agree upon the value to be paid and 1 case of disagreement the President President President dent of the United States to deter deter- determine determine determine mine the price to be paid to the Cherokee But until thus sold and occupied i d by friendly Indians the Cherokees nation retains the right of p possession of and j jurisdiction over overall overall all of said country country 1 after such sale nay be made tau all right of posses posses- possession possession sion and nd jurisdiction ceases forever ae to each of said tracts disposed of Regarding the dealings with the cattlemen in leasing their lands lands th the Cherokees maintain the correctness W f their course by decisions of the circuit and ands supreme courts and the opinion of Secretary ex-Secretary of ot the In- In Interior Interior In Interior Teller Tell r The latter in giving Chero- Chero Cherokees his views states tates that The Chero- Chero Cherokees kees- kees are not prohibited from disposing of the grass grow grow- growing growing ing upon their land any more than they are prohibited from 5 r disposing of the wheat corn or vegetables raised thereon as the fruits of their labor The privilege of grazing cattle cattle is but a 1 license e and not a lease It t conveys no interest in the lands occupied The Cherokees have a ft fee i 1 sa f 1 simple title to their lands ands and do not recognize the right of the depart depart- department department department ment to interfere in the manage manage- management management management ment of their affairs with reference thereto The land is theirs and they have an undoubted ted right to use it in any way that a white man would use it with the same r of title and an attempt to deprive the nation of the right would be Le indirect in indirect Indirect direct conflict with the treaty aswell as aswell aswell well as s the plain words of the patent They are quite capable of det determining without the aid of the department or congress what i is to their advantage or dis dis- disadvantage disadvantage disadvantage advantage and the govern govern- government government overn- overn ment cannot interfere with the rightful occupation of their lands which are as rightfully theirs as the public domain is that of the th United States subject only to the provi provi- provisions provisions provisions of Article 16 Treaty of 1866 which at most is only a contract to sell certain portions of the lands but |