r
THE INDIAN
CHIEFTAIN.
CHIEFTAIN PUBLISHING CO.
VINITA INDIAN TERRITORY THURSDAY MARCH I 1900.
VOL. XVIII. NO. 27
M&ifc&MiiCiM
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Merely a Business Proposition
BADGETT'S
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'HATTHEYWANT
esolutions of the South Mc-
Alester Convention.
"ERRiTORY DELEGATION.
IboliUos of Tribal Taxes Better Mu
niclpal Laws Schools for Non-
CitizeBS Insane Asylum.
Waat No Ooveraor.
fcAlester canven-
MtWBB!ttrBbgWL'aWtormy ses-
UTO adjourned last Friday at 2
-01-. r . rr The following reso-
u )08 esfess iuo worK oi me
tiov et: - :
Firet Tpie convention reeog-
Jrrg ' al ine llue lo lo" isnos
 .dian ttiFZ'y '
re A the tribes desiring'to
).a a njol 'i that to which the
fee an i xo".y entitled under any
I-prcj of ! elation whatever glad-
acKnowiLii jid tee co-oppration
many members of the tribes
In the labors of this convention
realizing that the interests pros-
jerity and advancement of all
classes in the Indian Territory is
idissolubly linked together and
hat no better political condition
:an exist for citizen and non-citi-
;en and the attainment of all the
rights and privileges of full Amer-
can citizenship as soon as may be
onsistent with justice and good
aitb doth resolve:
Second That we urge congress
ro increase the appropriation for
piloting the lands and appraising
he towns in the Indian Territory
md to strengthen the administra-
ive agencies and increase' the
force appointed by thegovernment
.o perform this work.
Third We favor the abolition'
f all taxes levied by the tribal
governments upon the property
md vocations of citizens of the
fnited States resident in the In-
fian Territory.
Fourth That inasmuch as the
people living outside of the townB
n the Indian Territory are with-
lout laws and without means to or
ganize and maintain sobools we
irge upon congress to pass neces-
ary laws for the organization of
Schools in the country and to
make appropriations for that pur
pose pending the allotment of
I lands and the adjustment of non-
liitizens' interests in the territory
leaving to the towns relieved oT the
DUrdon of tribal taxation the task
of providing for tbeir own schools.
Fifth We aBk the passage of a
fl&w authorizing the creation of
private corporations in the Indian
Territory and recommend the
bills (Sj 471 (H. R ) 3669 now
pending btfore congress.
Sixth We aek the enactment
'by congress of a law authorizing
abe issuance by incorporated townB
of bonds to be used in the estab
lishment of waterworks the build
ing of school houses and sewerage
and such bonds not to exceed an
amount the interest on which at 5
per cent per annum would be
liquidated by a tax of 5 mills upon
the dollar of fair valuation of the
taxable property in said incorpor-
ated town: said bonds not to be
issued except upon a three-fourths
majority of the qualified voters
voting at an election called for
that purpose and upon the finding
cf these prereqm oy the
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United States court exercisingjur-
isdiction over said town.
Seventh That we urge upon the
congress of the United States the
justice and the necessity of allow-
ing the Indian Territory represen-
tation in congress through a dele-
gate to be elected by its people.
Eighth We ask congress to re-
peal the laws authorizing citizens
or non-citizens to be ejected from
the Indian Territory by the exec
utive branch of the government
and ask that the personal liberty
of individuals in the Indian Terri-
tory be not in anywise abridged
except after presentment for crim-
inal and trial bad according to due
process of law in the courts.
Ninth We favor the ratification
by congress of tho treaty negoti-
ated with the Creek nation with
such amendments as congress and
1 K. iwiinmiealnnAVD ranrbeantmn
i saia ohiroii may s.mi to maxe.
We also favor the ratification by
congress of the agreement between
the United States and. the Cherokee
nation.
Tenth We favor the passage by
congress of the bill introduced by
Mr. Gaines of Tennessee to enlarge
the jurisdiction of United States
commissioners in the Indian Ter-
ritory.
Eleventh That we aBk the erec
tion and maintenance by the gov
ernment of an' asylum for the in-
sane of the Indian Territory to
supplant the inhuman method now
necessarily practiced of confining
them in jaild and we especially call
attention to section 57 of the agree-
ment between the United States
and Cherokee nation wherein pro
vision is made for the donation by
the Cherokee 'nation to the United
States of the Cherokee insane asy-
lum buildings and ten acres of
ground to be used by the latter a6
an asylum for the insane of all
classes in said territory. We also
ask an appropriation for the sup-
port of the orphans and the blind
of the Indian Territory.
Twelfth We ask for the erec-
tion of temporary agencies and a
sufficient appropriation againstep-
idemic and contageous diseases.
"Resolved That we petition the
secretary of the interior to remove
all records ol the department
touching matters relating to the
people of the five civilized tribes
to Indian Territory and place them
under the control of one agent who
shall permit such records to be ex-
amined and inspected by those
who bare business with said agent
or who are interested in said rec-
ords and that a legal adviser to
be resident in said territory.be ap-
pointed to advise said agent and
other agencies of the department
in the territory touching matters
that may come before said agen-
cies." These further recommenda
tions ol resolution committee was
adopted. "That a committee of
twenty-five be selected five each
each from the Choctaw Chicka-
saw Creek and Cherokee nations
two each from the Seminole nation
and Quapaw Indian agency and one
from the territory at large which
committee shall perpetuate a ter-
ritorial organization having in
view the" attainment ol the ends
agreed oh by this convention.
Said committee shall from its own
number select an executive com-
mittee of five which committee
shall take immediately in hand
the work ofpiomoting the business
of this convention and ing full
Record breaking prices in our men's department. To clear the tables and counters for our spring stock we
will offer some of the best values ever placed in a clearance sale in Vinita. The deepest cuts will be on our best
clothing our best boots and shoes our best hats and furnishing goods. These sterling values are seldom seen
in a clearance sale and never have been offered for the money we are willing to tie them up for.
This includes 90 suits ranging in price from $7.bO to $20; 60c on the dollar is all we want out of this lot.
Forty suits ranging from $6 to $10 go at 75c on the dollar. This line is composed of handsome Worsteds Cassimeres Chev-
iots and some Meltons; perfect fitting and handsomely trimmed. They sold well at the original price and will not last long with a
25 per cent discount.
Elk hats are the best hats on earth for the price $2; all shapes and colors
Bostonian fine shoes for men have no equal $350 IXL plow shoe buckle and congress for $1.50 is a hummer.
supervisory power to direct the
lines of endeavor and to formulate
the methods of action in conjunc-
tion with the otbermembers of the
committee of twenty-five with
power in said executive committee
to call further conventions if deem-j
ed advisable; that four delegates
be elected by this convention one
each from the Choctaw Chickasaw
and Uberokee nations and one
from the Creek and Seminole na-
tions to go to Washington for the
purpose of presenting to congress
the resolutions of this convention
and doing whatever may lie in
their power to secure their enact-
ment into laws: that the executive
committee hereby provide for se-
curing the preparation of a me-
morial supporting the resolutions
of this convention and procure the
signing ol the same by the perma
nent
officers of this convention
and by twenty-five gentlemen
whose prominence in the affairs of
the Indian Territory will give the
greatest weight to the suggestions
in said memorial contained; that
each member of this convention be
requested to constitute himself a
committee of one to procure copies
of these resolutions when adopted
by this convention and to enclose
them with personal letters to such
senators and representatives as be
may know with strong recom-
mendations for tbeir favorable
action."
Judge Yancy Lewis waB elected
delegate at large and chairman of
the committee of twenty-five. H.
M. Furman was elected delegate
at large and chairman of the com-
mittee of four to go to Washington
and work far the relief asked in
the resolutions. The following
members of tbe committee of
twenty-five were named: Chicka
saw nation T. L Wade Marlow;
C. G. Kean Wynnewood; A. D.
Hawk Purrell; L. T. Russell
Ryan; A. S. Hotchkins Ryan.
Choctaw nation R. L. Williams
Duranl; F. S. Genung South Mc-
Alister; I. McKenna Poteau; R. J.
Lamb Krebs. Creek nation J.
M. Givens Mutkogee; J. M. Hall
Tulsa; C. H. Tulley Eufaula; De-
ross Bailey Wagoner; G. W. Bell
Okmulgee. Seminole nation S.
T. Wiggins Wewoka. Cherkee
nation Preston Davis Vinita; W.
P. Thompson Vinita; William
Johnston Bartlesville; C. 0. Frye
Salisaw: J. H. Langley Pryor
Creek. Quapaw'agency-Horace B
Durant Wyandotte. The four
delegates to Washington are: Leo
E. Bennett Muekogee; C. B. Stew-
art South McAIester; E. J. Toilet
jr. lanlequaii; ix. a. maaio
Ardmore.
The convention ordered 5009
copies of the proceedings to in-
elude the speeches of Judge Lewis
and 1J. M. Furman and the me-
morial to be printed for distribn-
tion. The execntive committee
was authorized to devise its own
plans for the raising of funds to
carry out the purpose of the con-
vention. The different towns will
be asked to contribute on a baBis
of population. The convention
adjourned sine die shortly after
2 o'clook.
The Indian police down in tbe
Choctaw nation the other day
seized an ladiss wood pile and
confiscated It otfijg under the or-
ders of thet&0ftt. Governor Mc-
Curtain thetft rerrfi his sheriffs
lo release all suwnsgfcures as they
were without atfcrrs( t law.
FROM THE PHILIPPINES.
Vinita Boy Writes of Army
Experiences.
Subic P. I. Jan. S. 1900.
I jU(jge Tibbils Vinita I. T.
near Sir: I have been in the
j islarxcis nearly three months now
and have seen quite a little-of the
country up to this lime. I landed
in Manila on Oct' 28 and stayed
there three days. We then went
to d'Angeles where we expected
strong resia'ance but Nov. oth
showed that the enemy was not
made of material to stand very
long. After the fight we went into
garrison at that place and did pro-
vost duly for a month.
We then took the field again
traveling in a westerly direction
j for a d;aUnce of 8eventy.five mileB
meeting little or no resistance
The second battallion of the 32d
Infantry part of the 3d Infantry
and one battallion of the 25th In-
fantry (the latter negroes) scouered
the surrounding country in all di-
rections but found only small
bands of insurgents whom we
captured or scattered in the moun-
tains. Our major (Vpence) left
our company to garrison Subic a
sea coast town and patrol other
inland towns. We were never!
halted for a minute by the rebels
always taking up double time after
tbem when sighted. On the 24th
of December however we started
out with about forty-five men and
thought we would whip all the
insurgents in tbo mountains for a
Christmas present. But we were
sadly mistaken. After we had
gone aboul five mllen to the west
and while passing single file
through tbe worst piece of country
I ever Baw we were attacked on
three sides' at once. On our left
hvas a tall mountain with nothing
but grass about three feet high on
its slopes on the other three sides
was bamboo so thick a man could
not be seen fifty feet away. In
these thickets tho enemy was sta-
tioned seemingly about three hun-
dred strong. They opened fire at
a distance of about one hundred
yards and we did noUwait for or-
ders to return it but dropped to
the ground and began work as
hard as we could. We had noth-
ng to fire at txcept the smoke
thai rose from the brush and so
we laid for half un hour under
constant fire; then the rebels ceas-
ed fireing to take up a position on
our right to cul ofl retreat. This
placed us so we could not return
the way we came so we had to
climb the bald mountain on our
left and here tho enemy had a
picnic practicine on us as we strug-
gled through the tall grass. Evi-
dently thinking us in full retreat
they started In to chase us back
to Subic but as they reached the
base of the hill we gained the top
and here we turned on our friends
and gave them a few volleys which
persuaded them to stay in the
brush out of reach of our old
Krags. We lost one man taken
prisoner; it is supposed he was
wounded climbing the bill. The
rebels lost eighteen wounded and
we are satisfied we killed a few.
lam sorry-to have to write of
our being whipped but it ia just
as I say perhaps a little worse
forit put fear into the hearts of
manv of us. We arp now waiting
foi reinforcement and will go upjity to attend.
W. R. Badgett Mercanti
I aSain when they arrive. Then I
I hope we will be more successful.
I will close by asking you to send
me a Chieftain. You must par-
don me for not stamping this let-
ter us there is no postoffice in this
part of the island and we can get
no stamps. Yours truly
Geo. W. Meeker
Private Co. H. 32d Infantry
A PATHETIC INCIDENT.
Sad Plight of an Elderly Couple at
Muskogee.
For several years M.W.Dial has
driven the hack and carried the
mail between here and Okmulgee.
Ten days ago he was thrown from
his hack and severely injured. His
home was originally at Pryor Creek
andwhen yesterday he thought ho
could make the trip he was sent
there'. Yesterday there stepped
from tbe cars an old decrepit
j woman. She bad to be assisted by
the porter to tbe ground. She
inquired the way to the post oflice
and with tottering steps she walk-
ed the two blocks. When she made
inquiries for Dial she was told
that be bad that day been sent
to Pryor Creek. She said: "I am
his wife; 1 am seventy-five years
of age and penniless." Tears
flowed down the little valleys of
wrinkles and her gray head shook
with the feeling that she was de-
pendent on the cold charities of
the world for a bare substance.
She wandered down to the Turner
building and went in; there she
told her sad story and asked for
help to take her to her husband at
Pryor Creek. The boys contribut
ed enough to pay her fare and she
went up on the night train.
Dial is 75 years ofageanditis
thought that he has a younger wife
here at least this is the report.
A girl about ten years of age came
to the postoffice for his mail and it
is understood she is his daughter
although no one has seen his re
puted second wife. Muskogee
limes.
OREATHOUSE DISCHARGED.
Evidence Not Sufficient to Justify an
Indictment.
J. H. Arter of the Cobb hotel
returned from a two days stay at
Claremore Wednesday. Mr.Artcr
was called to Claremore as a wit-
ness in the preliminary trial of
Win. Greathouse before Commis-
sioner Jennings charged with
shooting Robert Crone at Nowata
hbout the first of January last.
Greathouse was discharged as the
evidence was not sufficient to jus-
tify an indictment for assault with
intent to kill. Crone lost a por-
tion of his skull and about a tea-
cupful of brain matter.
Vinita is to have the annual
meeting of the Indian Territory
Press association sometime next
May the date to be announced
very soon. Barring perhaps the
democratic convention in 1S96 this
will be the biggest thing of the
kind that has ever come to Vinita.
When we have a hundred or more
editors and their ladies within our
gales for a couple of days we will
have an opportunity of advertising
the town thoroughly and the peo-
ple of Vinita will not neglect it.
. . .
The national democratic conven-
tion will be held at Kansas City
Mo. July 4th 1000. . A large num-
ber of Vinita people will no doubt
avail themselves of the opportun-
IS FERNINST THE CZAR.
Smith on-the Interior Depart-
ment Officials.
Attorney Edgar Smith of this
city who has been taking the lead
in organizing the meetings of citi-
zens for the purpose of sending
delegations to the the general con-
vention at South McAlister Feb.
22 for the purpose of memorializ-
ing congress for needed legisla-
tion in the Indian Territory in
speaking of the unsettled condi-
tion of the territory and especial-
ly the Cherokee nation said:
"Yotrask what action I think
most needed upon the part of con-
gress with regard to tbe Indian
Territory. I think with a few
notable exceptions that the mem-
membeis of congress need first to
learn that thereys an Indian Ter
ritory and that there are 90000
Indians and 450 000 citizens of the
United Stales within its confines
dependent so far as government is
concerned upon the laws of the
United States. Much sentiment
has been indulged concerning the
condition of the people of neigh-
boring and far distant islands
who have nothing in common with
our nation or her peoples while in.
the very center of te United
States the conditions of the citizens
ol the United States resident
of the Indian Territory and that
of the Indian to whom the
United States is obligated by every
principle of right has received
comparatively little attention and
is almost universally misunder-
stood by congress.
"Speaking of the Indians Chief
Justice Marshall in 1831 in the
case of the Cherokee nation vs. the
state ol Georgia said: 'And a peo-
ple once numerous powerful and
truly independent found by our
ancestors in the quiet and uncon-
trolled possession of an ample do
main gradually sinking beneath
our superior policies our arls ad
our arms have yielded their lands
by succetsivft treaties each of
which contains a solemn guarantee
of the residue' etc.
"A prominent Indian when the
Cherokee treaty of 1S9S was voted
on advised his people in some-
thing like the following language:
'As in the middle ages every
wrong was committed in the name
of Christianity so in the nineteenth
century wrong and injustice are
often committed in the name of
progress. The settlement of the
affairs ol the five civilized tribes
as indicated by the United States
government need no longer be
I discussed from the standpoint of
right or wiong but from the stand-
point of expediency.' He then
advised his people to settle the
matter as quickly as possible.
This was done and the treaty en-
tered into by the commission to
the five civilized tribes and the
Cherokee nation was accepted by
a large majority of the Cherokee
Indians on a popular vote. This
treaty failed of ratification by con
gress although it was entered inloj
oy a commission representing the
United States which bad spent
fWe years of time in an endeavor
to obtain the treaty. That treaty I ment of the real material issues
with a slight modification hasand it docs not need guardians for
again been presented to congrs 
for action.- I tbinkjihe ratifi- .tioortfcltlevery imaginable snecie 0f!qUantt' at lhe umber cJt .
of this treaty is the action nwtiiaiu)ateriu
needed bv the Cherokee people.
le Company
"I think that any legislation
tending to place additional author-
ity in the department of the inter-
ior most detrimental to the inter-
ests of the people of this country
whether they be Indians by blood
adopted citizens or citizens of tbe
United States. I think that the
legislation ought to be in other
directions and that very much
less power be vested in tho de-
partment of the interior. I think
the time has past when an Indian
agent can deal with this country of
90000 Indians and 450000 citizens
of the United States by arbitrary-
rule and regulations such as were
originally adopted by congress for
the government of the small reser-
vations throughout the cuuntry.
Blackstone has most graphically
spoken on the subject of necssity
of certainty in the law. No con-
siderabe number of people can be
prosperously happily or. justly
governed without fixed or certan
laws for that purpose. The abso-
lute uncertainty today as to what
new rule the department of the in
terior will give with tomorrow has
demoralized all classes ot business
in this country and it is getting
worse day by day. I believe the
officers of tbe interior department
are acting under the impression
that they are standing sponsors
for the Indian protecting him from
his more progressive brother but
several years of intercourse with
the Indians have convinced me
that they are entirely capable of
taking care of themselves if given
a chance to do so and that any
extreme or exBgerated idea of pro-
tecting tbem will result in a great
deal more barm to tbem than good.
The enforcement of a thousand
vexatious rules of the interior de-
partment and consequent abandon-
ment of the country by many good
citizens to whom Indians desire
to rent their landsand with whom
they desire to deal will cause the
Indian to lose from a general
stagnatian of business much more
than tbe collection of all the petty
revenues and enforcement of other
rubs of the department will ever
benefit him. No better illustration
of this extreme and one-idea pur-
pose can be given than that pro-
vision in the so-called Curtis bill
with regard to town lots in the
Cherokee nation.
"This provision subjects lots in
towns which were duly segregated
from tbe rest of the domain of the
Cherokee nation by an act of tbe
national council of the Cherokee
nation to the payment of the as-
sessed valuation and one-half of
the assessed valuation as tbe lots
may hereafter be assessed and tti
without the ability upon the part
of congress to give a shadow of title
when the payment is made. This
was aimed at a limited number of
fllinnniarnir n-aultltt mon tvlm lnri
. . . .i .
acquired property in the towns. ;
The fact is that where thete is one
man of this character there are
scores of very poor Indians often
widows who own their own homes
and who wou!d be required to pay
a heavy assessment and who would
have nowhere on the face of the
earth to get the money. This is
but an illustration and what the
country needs is a speedy settle-
the purpose of weigljinE it down
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a.tter.
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hJPwthe Dawes com-
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mission Bhould have every facility
for carrying out the terms of the
treaty and that the people gener-
ally of the country should leud
their hearty co-operation and- sup-
port to the end that tbe allotments
may be taken under the treaty as
speedily as possible.
"I think additional facilities for
Iree schools Ehould be provided
especially so as to insure schools
in the country. I think a law re-
lating to the sanitary conditions
and providing health measures
similar to the one in force in Ar-
kansas should be enacted.
"I think an appeal should lie
from the trial courts in the Indian
Territory direct to the circuit court
of appeals for the Eighth circuit.
sThe Indian Territory at large
needs better legislation by .con-
gress not hurried and ill-considered
laws tacked on appropriation
bills or bills passed either in a
spirit of resentment or for the pur-
pose cf forcing terms upon the In-
dian. I think that the enforce
ment of the CtVis bill would bring
confusion worn- confounded and
that any plan of .allotment of the
possession ot tbe lands of the In-
dians without treaty stipulation
and without the fee is very much
worse than no allotment at all."
A USEFUL INTENTION.
Simple and Practical Hay-Stacker of
Lewis Blackwell.
Lewis Blackwell a young color-
ed man living near Albia swith
four or uve miles east of town is
the inventor of a hay-lifter or
stacker that promises to revolu-
tionize the present mode of hand-
ling one of the greatest natural
resources of this section of the
country. Young Blackwell's roa-
chine is simple of construction and
can be operated by a small boy.
The patent office at Washington
has given it favorable attention
and the patent for it is forthcom-
ing. The Indian Territory will be the
scene sf the liveliest railroad build-
ing operation during tbe next few
years ever witnessed in the west.
The railroad people are thoroughly
alive to the unlimited resources
of the Indian country. Activity
in railroad building is an unfailing
indication of brisk business in
every line of trade.
Twenty-six prisoners convicted
of crime in the Indian Territory
were taken from the Muskogee
jail to Leavenworth penitentiary
night before last.
ii?Id M
In the Estimation of
Practical Pointers.
Every gall Ion of the-Horse-Shoe
paint wl1 cdver300or moresquaro
(eel of surface in average condi-
tion 2 coats
to the gallon-
Every gallon
is full U. S.
standard raea
sure. It is
made to paint
bui 1 d i n g s
with. It is
the best and
most durable
hruse paint
on the American market toHay. It
can -)e nat '" anv color shade or
U It l A r  rt
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