The Portland daily press., 1889-01-25
LECTURE ON INDIANS.
J. q. Harrison Tells Of His Expert
ences With the Red Men.

Last evening Mr.. j. b. Harrison of the
Indian Rights Association spoke from the
pulpit of Congress Square church on the In
dian question.
Rev. Mr.. Blanchard presided over the
meeting. He read selection from the
scriptures and after singing by the choir,
offered prayer. A letter of regret was read
from Gov. Burleigh, who was unable to ac-
cept the invitation to be present. Mr.. Har-
rison In the beginning said: Ladies and
gentlemen, 1t gives me great pleasure to
speak to You about Indian subjects before
the Woman's Indian Association. l am
often reminded of late years of the potent
work OF the women of our country in the
highest courses of civilization. They are
guiding the public sentiment. 1t is not a
wonder, Mr.. President, that the people in
the East are not interested In Indians. They
are far away. 1 do not find much interest
myself in Indians or Indian subjects in
sentimental way. 7 would be content if men
would take up the Indian question in bus
mess way leave the Indian out entirely and
consider what is for the interest of the white
man. For believe what is for the interest
OF the whites Is for the interests of the
Indian. There are q good many different
tribes OF indians in this country, and a good
many different languages. | have looked
around great deal among Indians in Iowa,
Dakota and Montana. l have been in many
hundred Indian homes. There are
many things In which individual Indians
differ as white men do. / have more respect
for this people the more study them. They
are very largely where we put them, and
very much as we have made them. They are
| very much like men on a chess board. We
have taken them up and put them down very
much as we wanted to, and very often to
their Disadvantage. II you should build
high fence around a desert, and call the land
inside reservation for the Indians, there
| would be hundreds of white men camping
| all around with their noses against the
| fence waiting for an act Of Congress to let
them in the reservation. [Laughter.l The
east of the river. The whites dom tcare any
| thing for that east of the river, because they
nave got that now and can occupy 1t any
time, They want that west, because 1t is
greed for what the Indian has. Ii we look
into matters in business like way we shall
see the indians are where we Put Them and
are very much as we have made
them. Ii is said that the Indians like dirt
and filth. say they don't. / am here to
speak for those who cannot speak for them
selves. Give them houses with board floors
and board roofs and they will blossom out
at once with white curtains at the windows
just as their white sisters do. We ought to
educate the Indian; we ought to stop
cheating them; we ought to stop lying to
them. What is the American flag to the In
dian? 1t is a symbol of robbery and dishon-
esty. Give them schools. The Indian must
be saved before long or he never can be-
Mr.. Harrison referred to the many instanc-
es of the governments injustice toward the
Indians; TO the honesty of the Indian, to
their desire for civilization, and to their hos
pitality. He also answered questions asked
him at the close of his lecture.
Mrs. Frye, president of the society, told OF
her visit TO tn Indian reservations of In
dian Territory at the close of Mr.. Harrison's
lecture. A collection was taken. y.