Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-15
FOUR INDIANS WITH THE GRIP.
What Chief Arke-ke-ta Says About the
Way in Which Red Men Live.

Four Notwithstanding Indians we're
crowded yesterday afternoon into sofa in the
Senate antechamber, with their legs stretched
out upon the carpet. Two of them were fast
asleep, third had his jaw tied up with hand
kerchief bandage, and the fourth seemed
barely able to tell a STAR writer that he and
his friends were chiefs of the Otoes and Mis-
souris in Indian territory. He further ex-
planned that they had come to Washington to
tell the House and Senate committees on In
dian affairs that they wanted their incomes
paid quarterly instead of semi annually and to
negotiate for the sale of their remaining lands.
Unfortunately, upon arriving in the east they
had been attacked by the influenza and we'll
nigh incapacitated for work. The chief, who
explained that his name signihed .'He-who-
stays-by-you, remarked incidentally that he
found life in Washington a beast of bore.
DOESN'T LIKE WASHINGTON
eff could get my money" he said plain
lively. II would go back to live on the prairies
and never come here any more
What do you mean by your money!" asked
the newspaper man.
why, the cash paid US for our lands, You
know. Is not given to us at all. 1t is kept by
the government In the treasury and all we ac-
tualy receive is a life interest in it at SO much
per cent semi-annually. We are looked upon
you see, as wards of the nation, and unlike
ordinary wards we never come of age. Uncle
Sam has several thousand dollars of nv own
money paid for land sold by me, but | cannot
get 1t. You observe a strictly paternal control
Is exercised over Us Indians just as if we were
children. For instance, eminent medical au-
thorities have declared that no medicine is so
good for the grip a dose of alcohol in moder-
alton. But We are not able to procure spirits
for the simple reason that no dealer would
dare sell 1T to us. Have you any notion what
the penalty Is for selling liquor to an Indian?
THE RED MANS WEAKNESS.
II have heard that it is punishable Of
fense."
Ten years imprisonment; that is all.
pennsylvania avenue saloon keeper who should
sell to me this afternoon glass Of beer would
render himself by that simple act liable to a
term OF imprisonment as long many con-
victed murderers receive. lie might plead
Ignorance Of the law, but that would be no
excuse The theory is. as have implied that
the Indian is child. Also. he has a natural
inclination for liquor and. once drunk he NAV
do all sorts of dreadful things. Usually the
bar keeper caught in such an offense will claim
that he mistoOk the Indian for a negro: but
that apology will not avail him very far in
court. 1t Is rare thing for any saloon keeper
to be brought iAto court for such an offense
for the simple reason that no Indian will ever
betray man who sells him liquor. Out in the
sSAA.NSAs yob Will oiteh Stt dn 10u1an drunk.
but he will never tell where he got his rum"
THE WAY THEY LIVE.
"How do you live out there?"
"We OtOes and Missouris live in houses. like
yourselves, and so do the Sioux and Osages.
You see. we wear dress like your own. but
the Usage people wear blankets even vet. The
Fox and Sacs Indians wear blankets and live in
tents. The Caws wear blankets also. but live
in houses. The Paw-paws wear blankets and
live sometimes in houses and sometimes in
tents. The Sioux are agricultural people more
than any of the others; they have large farms
like the homesteads of the white folks and cul-
tivate them in the same manner. Some of the
Indians when they were first encouraged by
the government to live in houses. did not take
to the new plan very readily and stabbed their
cattle in the houses while they continued to live
in tents themselves"