Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-24
rArnER URBALDI GisAssi.
=, Italian Priest Whose Life is DE
,.,,ed 10 ChristiaDizinG indiaDs.


i,,o,tbe Indians of the Northwest. haV-
?a., been sent to his field OF labor by the
Celebrated Father DE Smet, with whom ne
ras for some time Il companion. Father
',r,.,iis about 30 years old, with q clear
and kindlv blue eye, benign counte'
a,nce. mis- naturally rudy face being
Srowned by exposure.
..I am a native of Piedmont, Italy"
said Father Grassi, in answer to the re-
,,,rter's inquiry. II went to Paris from
f'aly in 1852 TO meet Father De Smet, and
frrm there, crossing the Atlantic to this
oountrv. went 10 st. LOUIS, preparing for
ma priesthood. From there 1 went 30
MARYLAND to continue my preparation,
md III 1894 went to California, going by
the Nicaragua route. In 1860 l went to
tne mountains, ana from Chere visited
and worked among twenty-six different
in1tan tribes in Washington Territory,
1d.bo and Montana. My travels among
tTn tribes have ceen on foot and on horse
hack. and frequently for months at time
w,t5out seeing a white man. My most
recent laDors have been among the Crows
and Cbeyennes. on the Tongue river, on
little horn and Big Horn.
All the Indians were treated with fair
ness and honesty there would be little
trouble with tuem and they would yield
urlSlldDlly anu DCGOluC CIV lIILCus 1uO
indian agent is usually dishonest per-
Son. or at least inefficient aud unsatlsfac-
tory. Occasionally there is a good one,
hui fer the most part they are bad. They
arp Indian agents not for the benefit they
NAV do the Indians, but for the money
there IL in the office. Among all the Indian
AGENTS. have ever seen, Gen. Williamson,
at the Crow agency, pleases me best.
Under his direction the Crows have taken
great pains to cultivate patches of garden
stuh Each family has two acres, andun-
der his instruction they take great inter-
est in growing things. he told
me- that next year he intended to
try to arrange it SO that each family
should have COW. His object is to ac-
custom them to domestic life. The
Cheyenne agent is well intentiOned, but
be has little means at hand.
II ind the Indians ready to accept re-
ligious instruction. They are naturally
religious and given to Veneration. Father
BrandO, who labOred among the Crows
AID CheyenneS, was loved by them as a
father. l spent most of my time among
the Yakimas, Winaches and OAinagias.
All these tribes are now pretty well civil
Zed. The SgoeilpI or COlville Indians
are civilized. They have good farms.
There are about 600 in the tribe. in ohe
lay | baptized $50 KoOtUoney Indians;
the next day L married 40 couples OF
them"
What did you get for marrying themY"
asked the reporter.
The father laughed.
Nothing at all; and l had to furnish
each bride ring. The ieweiry was OF
The Cheap John variety, and quite good
enough for Indian ideas Of Recommendation.
The Cgur d'AleneS are among the most
cultivated Indians | have met. They
have good farms. They raise grain crops.
and have plows, moving and reaplng
machines, all earned by they own eXer-
IlOus. All they ask of the government is
the land they cultivate.
The Indian can be civilized, and civil
IzatiOn will settle the Indian question.
Of course, Christianity, preceding civili-
cation, will make the work easier. You
can depend upon the Indians when they
have goo0 treatment. They are onlyugly
when pushed and gOaded by wrong. The
Indian agents method of making good In
dams is very different from Ours. Indian
character all over the Territories is muca
the same. The reason that the Indians of
Tie Northwest, those with whom | have
leen, are better than those OF Arizona,
View Mexico and other places in tue
south, is because they have had better
treatment. The Indians east OF the
Rockies, especially those l have indI-
Gated, have had no fair words, no honest
treatment, nothing but pursuit and out
rage. Many OF the Indian tribes among
whom / have been have high standard
OF morals. Among the Cnur d'Alenes
drunkenness is severely punished. If
man steals woman ne is put In prison
Tor month, with other penalties added.
Inc crow Indians are naturally unchaste,
but their habits IN this particular are i'm
proving. The Chevennes, on the other
hand, are chaste people.
Last year the Catholics were given
permission to establish themselves on a
number OF reservations At one time
mere were thlrty-seN en- reservationsgiven
10 Catholics, but we were driven away
from thirty of them by a hostile adminis-
tratlon. Now we are being given some of
them back again--nOt exclusively to US,
phl 10 all rellgiOnists who interest them
serves IN missionary work among the In
dams. We Jesuits now have the Col
vile, Flathead, C9ur d'Aene, Blackfoot,
Asslnboine, Crow and CHEYENNE
agencies west of the Rocky Mountains,
"nere we have charge. 1 was on the
mission only One year with Father De
emet. lie was the greatest missionary
ever among them after Father Mar
quette."
themg"
The father smiled in benignant sur
prise.
IN, no, certainly not. l never carried
weapon OF ady kind. That would lose
"! prestige as priest. My cassOck Is
we only weapon l need. / never had but |
ouo attempt made upon my life. That |
vas IN 1910, on the Okinagan river in |
o'ekon' An Indian had taken my horse |
"IN baggage across, but when he came TO |
1"Ae me across he upset the canoe to !
u'oWn me 50 that ne could have the horse !
qua baggage. <grabbed the canoe, and, |
"Hl water up to my chin, admonished |
Kun Tor MS breach Of hospitality, called to |
Al9 hiHu that had chosen him from sew |
S'al VINO had offered for the service, and |
p"l paid MIN we'll. lie would probably |
H; 40 Completed the job of drowning me |
q" n9 mad not been afraid Of losing his |
vin. d. nat are your Indian religious SER
III, we have common prayers, the mass,
, ,rc canticles and the beads. Some OF !
,t 1e"l sing wei. | have taught many OF |
htu 1o. last tribes.among which have |
D'eu-the eleven cantices. We have |
=, Dg"is among the Colvilles, the Cmur |
Hienes, aud the Flatheads, aud they are
~ = very well. The girls are taught by
tI, listers OF Providence, and tue males
~ 'u' d eslits. We teach the boys Eng
s 49," reading and writing, arithmetic and
fhe,"-'"phS. The girls learn the same
nus, win sewing and some other do
sJl.t.c accomplishments. | should have