The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-05-14

absolutely refused to remove to TIKI
Indian Territory, where l understand
they have a very fine reservation
where there is u school house, and
wher. they arc being taught the art.
OF agriculture and civilization, and
improved materially. But these
Indians in Iowa, although they have
been threatened by tho Interior De
par,ment with tho ontiro loss Of their
annuity il they would not remove
say that they preierto die where :hey
are. Since they have come back TO
Tams County they have increased in
numbers instead OF dying out. Every
argument has been employed to
induce them 10 60 back to the Indian
Territory. They say, however, that
when they were on their reservation
IN Kansas their numb rs decreased ;
they died out but since they have
come back to the State of Iowa .hey
have increased in numbers.
Now the question for this House
TO determine is this These Indians
have been turned over to the Ii
theran Church, which has appointed
a commissioner for them, who lives In
OHIO. The reason why he cannot
succeed in eyangclzing these Indians
is, he says, because lie has no school
house there aud no facilities OF any
kind. He comes over once or twice
a year and prays with these Indlans.
I have nothing TO say against him.
presume he is a Christian gentleman.
Blu, | believe j. he had n school house
about which he could form nucleus
where the Christian people OF that
county conll gather, a great dea! OF
money which is now sent by the
people OF my district to Egypt, Asia,
and Africa TO civlizs the hcathcn
there would be given to this agency
AS regards the dissolute people
with this tribe in my dis
tric,, that Is nothing mora nor less
than a SANDER. In fact the man Who
wrote that has talked about the mat
ter at random.
Why, sir, within two miles OF that
agency there is village called the
City Of Churches where there is a
church belonging to each of the most
prominent religious denominations OF
America. There is not more intel
ligent. a more Christian, and more
highly civilized people either in tho
West or in the East than right
around that trib. Of Indians. And,
sir, that community consider 1t a
shame aud disgrace that the
American people should expend mil
lions of dollars annually for the pur-
pose OF civiizing the Indians and yet
do nothing for the children OF the
original owners of the soil OF Iowa,
who are right there in the midst OF
one million five hundred thousand
people.
The object of my amendmen. is to
compel tins agent, who receives
salary OF $500, TO stay there and
attend 10 his duties. There are
plenty OF Christian ministers who
now labor with congregations the
whole year around Tor 81 200, and
who would work with those men as
DR.. Llvings' ono worked and spent his
III ~ Cow .e,, came TO my ear
! III y sweet, mn-icai tone, whllc [ wa
TO DO anylnins '~e->arv',-.z,- .s-o.,c
Indians. then say cut off the salary
OF this agent and pay merely enough
Tor tn, employment OF some man
to disburse their annuties. Ii there
is a sentiment of humsnl.y in this
House, l appeal TO that sentiment to
give the Christian people OF the State
OF Iowa nucleus around which
their charities can gather.