New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-03-22

THE LATEST FROM OUR HOME INDLINS.
Nobody ever heard of New-York urchin
whose soul had been set on fire for romantic adj
venture by pcrusing dime novels, running away
from home to the Onondaga Indian reservation
there to commune with the noble red men. And
why not Because we are all given to ASSOCIATE
ing Indians with the far West.
This is unfortunate. 1t has resulted In
neglect on the part of New-Yorkers of the real
live Indians, descended In straight line from
the old stock, who live, move and have their
being within our own boundaries. Poets leave
them alone, the novelists have no use for them,
philanthrOpists give them scanty attention,
even sentimentalsts pay them small honor.
Who knows anything to speak OF of the Onon-
daoa Indian reservation Who has ever visited
it Who has any accurate conception of the life
that Is lived upon iti What is the present
physica, mental and moral condition of our
New-York Indians7 To what extent do they
retain the manners and customs OF their an
cestors7 We suppose the newspaper men of
Syracuse know a good deal OF the subject.
Doubtless handful more of people in Onon-
daga County and in other sections of the State
know something of It, But certainly to the
great majority of even the most intelligent
New Workers the reservation in all that il i'm
plies is little more than an unknown land. Such
a state of things Is hard on our home Indians
There is vague impression abroad in the mind
of their pale faced fellow citizens that they are
not greatly given to plain living and high think
ing, preferring on the whole high living and deep
drinking. This, however, may be a libel. II
it is not, then it remains to be suggested that
perhaps if q the superior race paid little
more attention of the friendly sort to the
Indians within their gates, the effect might be
wholesome.
We have been led to indulge in these con-
sderations by reading tho latest news from our
Indians. We find it in the Syracuse news
papers, The Onondagas have just had new
chief set over them to succeed Chief James
Rubin, who was killed by fall from wagon
short time ago. The occasion was an impor-
tant one, and was given its due. The Syracuse
Standard reports that "Scnecas, Oncidas
@Cayugas and Tuscaroras to the number of
@seventy-fve attended, and the various clans
@known as the Wolves, the Bears, the Beavers,
q the Snipes, the Turtles and the Flowers were
@amply represented" Tho new chief was
chosen by the chiefs of the tribe in which the
vacancy occurred. 1t is intimated that the
electors were subjected to the fine arts of such
as pull wires and lay pipes. The Indian on
whom their choice fell is one of the Flowers. II
is not stated that any person moved to make his
election unanimous, but The Standard states
that "a grOan of dissatisfaction went up at
the announcement of the Flowers success evil
IDENTIFY some Indian who had put himself in the
hands of his friends was disappointed. 1t was
limited that Aunt" Cynthia, who is said to
hold one-sixth of the lands Of the reservation,
electionecred for The PlOver. After the new
chief had been instructed touching the response
bilities OF his Office and had sworn to look