, 1890-12-25
THE NOBLE RED MAN
"Our Indian Brother" Was the
Subject Discussed by the
Board of Trade.
Okanogan Smith Was There to
Give His views on In
dian Character.
A Committee Was Appointed to
Find the Difficulty and Pro-
pose Remedy.

In the bonrd of trade rooms Mon.
day there was council of the pale
face, who discussed what disposition n
should be made of the Indians who
do not occupy the lands I'm the diff.
ferent reservations Of the state. The
final action Of the board was mo-
tlon instructing the secretary, Mr..
John II. Reavis, to draw up a set OF
resolutions to be sent to Washing
ton, asking the secretary Of the in-
terror to have all Indians who have
not taken allotments of land lie.
moved from the reservations. This
resolution grew out of the fact that
such indians have caused n great
deal of trouble by filing on land
previously taken up by white set.
tiers.
The names Of the members of the
board who were present are as fol-
lows. Okanogan Smith, John r..
Reavis, III. n. Belt, DR.. w. w.
Elmer, Messrs. Randall, Tilton,
Frye, Patterson, Goss, Stocker and
L. III. Woodin, of Lake Chelnn.
A PIONEER VISITOR.
In the midst of the circle that
was called yesterday by Secretary
Reavis was Okanogan Smith, who
graced the councils of the red man
around the campfl res of Okanogan
long before Spokane had enough
people in 1t to form n board
of trade. The object was To
consult with MIR. Smith about the
Indians and the reservation aud take
steps If necessary to open up Mt least
a part of them. AS the Colville
reservation Is tributary to Spokane
II was thought that the people OF
this city are deeply interested i'm
such plan. Mr.. Corbin has said
that as soon as the reservation Is
opened he will build the road into
that region, and this will be long
step toward the development of the
country.
Okanogan Smith said when the
meeting was called to order that il
was not plan that would do any
injustice to the Indians. The pa
pers show that there are 1000 In
dlans on the reservation, but there
are not over 1000, and the reserva-
tion covers nearly 5000, 900 of acres.
"How are you going to- make that
country tributary to- Spokane un-
less 1t hos an outlet?" said Mr..
Smith. "Now | have mines with
ores In that l want to get out, but
how can man do 1t when he is
SURROUNDED BY INDIANS?
al have thought over it good
deal. OF course there are Indians
who are well advanced and are self
sustaining"
During the rest of the time many
questions were put. by different
members of the board. "What we
want Is to get down to bottom
facts" said n member. "In the first
place, we want to get at the correct
number of Indians on the reserva-
ton. We should have
census taken by men
who are thoroughly conversant Will
them. An Indian beats census
taker Along the 10th parallel is
where they congregate to hunt ana
fish. This is where the unscrupulous
whites sell them whisky"
Mr.. Elmer-Are there any who
don't take liquor?
Mr.. Smith-O, all of them will
get drunk. | know considerable
about the Indians character, and il
they were taken to Moses reserva.
tion so much vile whisky would not
be within their reach. The commits.
si0ners will be here soon. The Ob.
ject of the commission will probably
not he to visit the reservation
i'm particular, but to stay IN this
city or at the agency and get the
views of those well acquainted with
the Indians, ] presume, and gather
statistics. i have acted as United
States commissioner and never
arrested man for selling liquor 10
Indians In my life, for they would
skip across the border think the
Indians should cithei settle on the
liue or go south TO u small reserva-
tion.
Mr.. Reavis-Where will the sur
vey go through that country?
Mr.. Smith-From Ruby City to
Coulee and through the reservation
to Kettle river. / believe Mr..
Corbin will be here this week. 1t
| W ~ 'i'Ss tiiS iiic uJ lhe fotIl par
allel three times rs IL crosses what il
called the North Fork of Skagit
river and run down the river.
Mr.. Reavis-If that commission
opens up the reservation the I4O
miles Of road will be ofgreat interest
to this city.
Mr.. Smith-Yee the Kettle river
runs through as fine grazing coun-
try as there Is. 1t abounds in
mineral and Is about the same alti-
tude as Spokane, perhaps little
lower. Round Osooyos lake have
raised fruit myself and whenever 1
had occasion to take IL to the fairs it
always took the prize. The COM
mission is late because two of
the members resigned and now
trouble Is experienced in getting
the third man. should just allow
the government to do as it pleases
about the moving of the Indians to
the various places proposed. Ii we
ask too much we won't get any
thing. If we can get them in
Moses reservation we are all
right
Mr.. Stocker-Can an Indian give
up his ranch and still maintain his
tribal relations?
Mr.. Smith-He will not lose his
land, but get just the same as any
other Indian. There will be one OF
two things for him TO do; either
accept GAO acres on Moses, reserva-
tion or come over and receive an
/ ~ M loo tn tntf al