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Show VI REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. dispose of disquieting questions which will surely grow out of the present alarming condition of things in the whole Indian Territory. At present the rich Indians who cultivate tribal lands pay no rent to the poorer and more nufortnuate of their race, although they are equal owners of the soil. The rich men hwe too large homesteads and con-trol many times more than their share of the land. I t will not do to say, as the wealthy and influential leaders of the nations contend, that their system of laws gives to every individual member of the tribe equal facilities to be independent and equal opportnnity to possess him-self of a homestead. Already the rich and choice lands are appropri-a, ted by those most enterprising and self seeking. A considerablenum-ber of Indians have in cultivation farms exceeding 1,000 acres iu extent? and a still larger number are cultivati~lgb etween 500 and 1,0110 acres. Now, think of one Indian having a farm fenced in of 1,000 acres, with tho right, according to their system (as I understand the fact to be), of adding nearly 1,000 acres more by e.xcluding all others from the use or occupancy of a quarter of a mile in width all around the tract fenced. What a baronial estate! In theory the lands are held in common under the tribal relation, and are equally owned by each member of the tribe, but in point of fact they arc simply held in the grasping hand of moneyed monopolists and pomerful and influential leaders and politicians, who pay no rental to theother members of the tribe, who, undertheir tribal ownership in common, have equal rights with the occupants. A case of this sort came under my personal observation on a visit. to the Creek Nation in 1885. I was credibly informed that one of the Creeks had under fenceover 1,000 acres, and, of course, under their laws and usages, he had the right to exclude all other members of the tribe from claimingauy land embraced within the limits of a quarter of a 111ile in vidth surrounding the inclosed farm of 1,000 acres, provided he made the Urst location. This estate was handsomely managed, with nnlany modern methods and improvements. A costly residence stood upon it and large commodious baras, stables, &c., were provided. The owner cultivated this farm with laborers hired among his owu race-perhaps his own kith and kin-at $1Gper month, and they lived in huts nnci cabins on the place without a month's provisions ahead for them-selres and families. They owned, of course, their tribal interest in the land, but the proceeds of the valuable crops which were raised by their lal)or swelled the plethoric pockets of the proprietor. In this instance the crops grown, in addition t o large qunntities of hay, oonsisted of 25,000 bushels of corn, fattening for market 200 head of beef cattle and 300 head of hogs. The proprietor grows annuall? richer, while the laborers, his own race, joint owners of the soil, even of the lands that he claims and individually appropriates, grow annually and daily poorer and less able to assert their equal ownership and tribal claim and, shall I say, constitutional privilege and treaty rights. |