Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-02-21
ATalk WithBuShyhead.
The Noted Chief Talks About His
Country.
The Civilized Tribes of the Indian
Territory as Enlightened aud Pro
greSSive as the White Inhabit
ants of the states.

=
gresSive as the White Inhabit
ants of the States.
WAsWNoroN, d. C.-"An Indian state of
the Union, d native American Common
wealth, holaing her head as high and
weariug her hosors as proudly as any of
the sisterhoOd, this is the aspiration of
our people" So said aa indian, ex Chief
Dennis Wolf Bushyhead of the Cherokee
Nation, anG present envoy of that nation
90 the American Capital. Bushy head
represents q republic that has existed for
half q century within our repubie-a lit
tie nation which presents more features
of interest TO the student Of political
economy and sociology than any other
country on the American continent. His
present ousiuess IN Washington aud that
OF his colleagues is TO ascertain how much
honor thor, is in the greater republic
which surrounds and OyershRdoVs his own
little nation. In the passage OF the Ok
iahoma bill through the house, at the be
hest of q lobby of railroads, lsndgrab-
bers, and spectators, Bushyhead and his
colleagues have discovered not how much
honor there Is IN the American republic,
"a represented by the democratic house
of representatives., but how Htt.e. Out OF
the mouth Of this descendant of those
whom the world calls savages we have an
Indictment OF the ignorance and corrup
tion of a large number OF modern states
men. He speaks now in general terms,
but il he should decide 20 deal In particu.
lars aud usmes let some OF the great men
OF this dAy beware of the barbarian. His
tongue il more TO be feared than his
tumahawk
BUsHYuEAp on ooNGBEssMEN.
81 have nov been two months in Wash
iugtou' says Bushyhead. ~ came here
full of the hope of our people that some
day we may join the Ulion as a State.
Bat now 1 am in doubt. | know not
who,her you are people we should care
TO join. Surely we would not wish to be,
come your brothers If you are fully and
properly represented by some Of the Con
gressn en- have met. But / hope for
better things from your people than from
their representatives. Here have met n
few cOnKressmen who are dishonest who
are what we call 'barrows.' They are
lobbyists. men who have sold themselves
for price, men who are willing out of
selfish motives 90 override the rights OF
small people like mine and to dishonor
their own Government. Then ! meet men
who are densely ignorant of the country
in which they live, men who sit in Con
gress and know less OF the Indian Terri
tory than they know Of Samoa or Russia
WAraa thun
all. they are too indolent 60 learn. They
take what some interested men have told
them TO be true, and are too lazy to in
quire into She facts.
TIKI INDIANS or THE rERnIroHf.
"When am introduced to some con
greesmen they say to me: is 1t possible
! you are an IndianY They expect TO see
being with feathers on his head, n
! blanket, and tomahawk. They are
amazed when | converse with them as
do with you. They look for me TO bring
out knife and take their snalps. They
think all Indians are alike aud have no
other idea than that my people, the Cher
Okees, and their neighbors, the Chicka-
saws aud others, are wild and savage.
They look upon us as ignorant wards OF
the government, who have To be looked
after by the federal troops and have ra-
tions of beef and pork dOled ont TO US.
have met scores of congressman here
who have never dreamed that our people
are nation, with perfect self govern
ment, schools, churches, asylums, like
other civilized people. Throughout the
north, and even in Chicago and Kansas
City, where much Of our trading Is done,
we are known only as half savage indiana.
Yet me tell you something about our PEG
pie. We wear jnst such clothes 10 con
pressmen wear; we eat the same kind Of
food; read the same newspapers and
books In Tahlequah, our capital, and
other towns, newsbOys sell daily papers
on the streets a. they do in Washington.
take five daily papers. Many OF my
neighbors take as many. In our schools
the English language ia used and no 9th
err. We have complete common school
system, and soon will open seminary
which cost $4,000 We have asy,ums
and hospitals, daily newspapers OF our
own, railroads, telegraphs. Our people
1--we ia frame, brick or stone houses. We
nave organs and pianos. sixty per cent
of our people speak English, and larger
per cent OF them are members Of Meth
odist, Presbyterian or Baptist oEurches
We have no Catholics. Oar children at
tend Sunday schools and bring home with
them the same Sunday school papers that
children read all over the states. Law
aud order are maintiined. You might
travel from Kansas 90 Texas through orr
country and notice no difference in the
customs Of orr people. IL is odd to me
! that we have lived 80 long almost IN the
geographical center OF the United States
and are stil 80 generally unknown aud
misunderstood. Oar people take great
great in the national politics of the
states. We are naturally fond Of pol
tics, and ~ / say nope some day to be-
come a state.
AaAINsT sPRrsGERB BILL.
eve think we are rapidly becoming NJ
/ for citizenship. We do not wish to have
our country divided mp and organized IN.
/ 10 white mans territory, az y proposed
by this Springer bin. II we were 70
come ia as q STATE 10 would be matter
of pride with VA 20 show what native
/ Americana can do. We would at least
-trive 10 know our own country, In my
belief the majority Of the CheroRets are
republican All our polite. dates from