The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-15
OLD CHEF POkAGON.
His Father Once Owned the site Of
chicago aa1 &ota u for Thr~e
e~nfs an A~r~-He Writes Upon
the Past and the Future Of His
hare-The DwinafiHs Away of the
Great Aigonauin Family.

Old simon Pckzvon. the Las. CHEF os sha
FokascE bard ~ the Po.sawztoguiss. wne
y Eow rearing tas End OF hsz long life az
hfs retreat Ii Les, Mich, has aG !sseres.
Ter the people Gf Chicago apart from the
iaci tfsai re r. perhaps. tne most civilized
rec EzAn n the United STATES pokagon l..
fasn~r o. tics Old Alcatran caset. cnce
oHned TIE site gpoz4 which chscag9 Bow
stands He sold n 10 the government for 3
csats an acre. TIE scE. recalls tals matter.
with very complimentary reference 10
sas late Carter II. Harrison. {. al article,
Ths Future OF the Red Man" published
IN The earreat number CT the Forum
FoAaScn II. acd tsss band O. 40 possa-
watoniss ctd uss 60 10 the reservation
west OF the Mississippi. with the mass OF
MS tribe These Indians had accepted the
Christian religion. and besougat ths gev-
eminent To permit thsm 10 remain IN
Michigan. where th@y could live within TIE
borders OF that civilization they preferred
20 'ef saorzanizei life OF the prairie The
STORY or the litigation whereby they sought
10 fScesFe fnesr share Of the aan4lffes
granted Their tribe is familiar 70 almost
al The people OF Michigan and Indiana
among whom the Indians have lived Po-
kagon merely refers 70 the treaties liz his
Forum article. Far more interesting is the
view he takes of the red man and the
wrongs that have been done him IA the
especially bitter toward the English. their
American descendants and the Spanish,
or the French settlers and missionaries he
has only words OF praise. He charges the
evil done by the American Indian, his
cruelty and most or those traits in him
which have beer called savage to the
rapacity OF the early Spanish and English
conquerors.
In ii92. when Columbus landed on the
fEEFe< fEFa hstss fertf.e yer.-
kagon. he found the carsb Indians a most
peaceful. Kind and honest people For
THESE Columbus had nothing but words Of
praise. And Pokagon quotes from the adj
miral's letter to the king and queen. From
the description given by Columbus the
writer appeals 20 his readers to know II
the aboTsglnes did not possess all those
virtues that are the IDEAL aim OF the Chris
tan Without books. laws or judges the
natives Columbus found were perfect in
those things which European civilization
has found IL impossible TO irstiIi into white
people, with ali its resources and all It's
power. What became of the Car.hss''
asks the old chief. And he answers: They
seemed To have vanished like leaves in
autumn. for within a few years We find
them supplanted by foreign slaves. .
Some fled from the lust and lash OF
thelr oppressors by To the coast OF
Florida. and reported to the natives there
that Waube-a -fle-ns-og lwhite mem
Who fought with Awshkontay Aunemekee
Uhunder and lghtningl who were cruel
Nindic;tve and without love- except a
thirsty greed for gold. had come from the
other side OF the ocean and made slaves
OF the red men OF the islands which vas
reported from tribe TO tribe across the
continent"
Twenty-Five years after the ensiavement
OF the CARDS came Ponce de Leon. He
ma .zfxra.ss
land CT flowers and fruits. with every mark
OF esteem and hospitality. He and his men
begin 10 climb the terrace. but are set upon
BY long lines OF savages from the woods
the hosts of the Cartbs. who came 10
ayenge their ancient wrongs
And, continues the old Indian, the red
mea OF the north were found as kind. as
innocent o; cruelty. simple and gentle
a. the red men of the south by the many
navigatoTs who landed on the North
American continent. Those cruel adven-
turers adds Pokagon. who came among
Us hy sea and land. mus, have awakened
hatred and revenge III the hearts of our
fathers, which may have been transmitted
TO their children" Pokagon calls attention
10 the fact that the Atlantic coast was &C.
cupied By the great Algonquin family. OF
which the Pottawatomlex were a tribe
This family. in the seventeenth
century numbered 2saoso. Today they
are not more than 5000. Then
came the French. The AIgon0uins
trusted them and we're treated fair
ly by them. The races intermarrIei. The
French King was the great protector But
scarcely had the Indians become raconciled
10 their masters than the English king re-
placed the French protector. Next came
the war ~ the Revolution. and The indians
Were ground between the two forces. The
last hEht 81 the tribes was made a the
hattie OF tn Thames "a Canada. whore