Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-15
BUFFALO BILLS INDIANS.
They Have . Private Talk With Com
missioner Belt.

no COMPLAINT TO MAKE OF fAErR TREATMENT
WHILE IN THE SHOW BusrSEss-MR. BELTS AD-
DREss-oTHERs MAKE RKNARxs-A CALL UPON
THE PREsrDExr.a
A ME OF Indians passed into the Atlantic
building, on + street, this morning. They wore
blankets and their faces were touched up with
red and yellow paint, and their clothes were
trimmed with beads. They, however, carried
no weapons and their appearance was merely
picturesque and not war like. They
we're on their way to the Office of the Indian
commissioner to tell Mr.. Belt, the acting COM
missioner, how they had been treated during
their two years. trip in Europe with the Wild
West Show They were a ine-looking set of
people, and the elevator man looked over the
stalwart group and decided that while fifteen
people OF average size and weight was load
that eight OF these men would DO all that he
o eea sake up at one time. So the thirty-nine
men ana one woman were shot up stairs in Sec
tions They were shown into largo room,
where Mr. Belt received them.
PRIVATE TALK WITH Mr.. BELT.
1t was decided that the Indians should have
an opportunity OF telling Mr.. Belt privately
whether the contract made with them had been
carried out and whether they had any COM
piaints. So everybody was invited to step out
OF the room and the Indians were left alone
prefer, who Is pupil in the Carlisle Indian
schooi and came on for tho purpose OF render
ing the Sioux language into English on this
occasion.
Mr.. Belt addressed the Indians as follows:
MIR. BELTS ADDRESS.
My Friends: am glad to see you today.
You belong to the great Sioux tribe. You left
Pine Ridge agency. in South Dakota, more
than year ago, journeyed many miles
through this land, crossed the great water
ana visited many countries and cities on its
other shore. You have wandered about
a greal deal. have seen many things and
places, wonderful. beautiful and otherwise,
ana you nave again crossed the sea and are
now BACK In your own country, in the capital
OF the nation having guardianship and care
over you, and in the Office of Indian affairs,
from which the affairs concerning your inter-
ests aud welfare moro Immediately con.
Quoted and directed.
You have been engaged in the exhibition and
snow business. Much has been written and
ness upon the Indians who are engaged in it
IL Is not considered very elevating or helpful,
morally or otherwise, to the most civilized
people who engage in it or who wit
ness the performances believe that which
is not good for the white man is
not good for the Indian and what is bad and
demoralizing Tor the white man il also bad for
tho Indian. J. have never witnessed one OF your
exhibitions, nor do know how you have been
treated and used by tho people who have had
you In charge. They have brought you here,
they say, to afford the department having the
charge OF you the opportunity to see and hear
Tor ITSELF your condition and for that purpose
nave arranged to meet you today;
that l may see with own eyes how
you appear; hear with my own ears from your
how ta1. hail,
the contracts made with you have been faith
fully carried out, and anything else that you
may want to say to me. I desire to hear from
all who wish to talk. Ihave had Capt. Pratt
send down here one OF the pupils of your own
tribe, now attending the Carlisle school. to in
terpret to You what 1 say and to interpret to
me what you say. I want you to feel free to
speak your minds as to your treatmen. Who
will speak frst?"
THE INDIANS MAKE NO CoMPLAINrs.
The Indians then one at q time spoke and
told the commissioner that the contract had
been carried out; that they had been we'll
treated, had received their pay, and In fact
they had nothing to find fault with
Mr.. Belt finding that the Indians had no COM
plants directed the doors to be opened and the
rest of the examination, which was very brief.
was conducted in public.
The Indians, however, only had good words
to say of their manner Of life and their treat
ment. and SO Mr.. Belt brought the examination
to close. He told them in parting that il they
had been i'll treated and that if the contracts
made with them and approved by the Indian
department had not been carried out they had
concealed the facts from him.
He told them of the religious excitement
among the members of their tribe on the res
ervation, and expressed tho hope that when
they returned home they would use their influ-
ence to quiet the excitement.
Mr.. Salisbury, the vice president Of the
Wild West Show Company. then made brief
address, and the Indians, after giving an In
dian yell for Mr.. Belt, filed out Of the room.
A CALL ON THE PRESIDENT.
The Indians called on the President at 1
O'Clock. and this evening they will leave for
the west. The Indians will go directly to their
reservations.
There is no doubt but that the Indians would
be willing to enter into new contracts to 60
into the show business. At present there is an
order Of the Secretary Of the Interior prohib-
iting their doing 80. The plans for the next
70 khoraf rho<,