Before Oklahoma was absorbed into the United States as a state, it was known as “Indian Territory,” and was run by Indian governments. Some U.S. citizens didn’t much like being subject to their taxes while doing business there, and would occasionally resist, in the hopes of getting the U.S. government to take their side in the disputes. Here are a couple of examples.
From the Fort Scott, Kansas, Daily Monitor:
Merchants Refuse to Pay Tax.
Ardmore, I.T., . — A clash is imminent between the merchants at Davis and the Indian police on the refusal of the merchants to comply with the federal laws and consent to pay the one per cent. tax levied upon non-citizens doing business in the territory. One merchant’s business house was closed by the police. He will be ejected as an intruder. The excitement is high.
Next, from the Palestine, Texas, Daily Herald:
Refuse to Pay Tax.
Muskogee Merchants Send a Committee and Attorneys to Washington.
Muskogee, . — At a meeting of business men a resolution was adopted pledging every man present to resist the payment of the Creek tribal tax. Over 600 of the leading business men of the city were present, and not only did they declare against paying the tribal tax, but subscribed liberally to the fund being raised to defray the expenses of the case now pending in the United States supreme court. They are confident of winning this case, and will send a committee of five with attorneys in the case to Washington to appeal to Secretary [Ethan] Hitchcock to defer collection of the tax.
Action at Tulsa.
Tulsa, I.T., . — The Commercial club of this city has raised a fund of $200 to go into the common fund raised over the Territory, which will be used in resisting the collection of the tribal tax, imposed by the Creek council, when the nation was under control of that body. Pending decision, tax has not been collected for this year.
