The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-31
INDIANS WON'T WORK.
And They Buy Votes Just Like White
Men.

And They Buy Votes Just Like White
Men.
Washington. Oct S1.-The majority
of the annual reports of the Indian
| agents to the commissioner of Indian
| affairs, are of an encourag ing nature
and indicate a progress generally along
civilized lines. Some of the reports
however, are not SO gratifying and make
some surprising statements. Unusual
in an annual report is the following ar
raignment in the report of E. NJ. Year
ian, in charge of the Lemhi agency In
Idaho:
''These Indians as a tribe are honest
and peaceable and kindly disposed, but
are about as degraded and ungrateful
a set as one finds. They have been
humored and like spoiled children, want
things their way and their condition,
mode of living and barbaric practices,
would indicate that undue concessions
have been made on the part of agents.
While some will avail themselves of the
opportunity of earning their living by
civilized pursuits, others lead a lazy,
vagabond life.
''They are addicted to gambling, horse
racing and dancing and the influence
of the so-called medicine men, operates
to the disadvantage of the tribe.
Their real advancement has not been
what it should be, or what it was pos
sible to have been under the circum-
stances. In the agents annual report
for 1882, on the Lemhi reservation, I
find that twenty-nine Indian families
were engaged in farming; fifteen years
afterwards L can report but forty one
following agricultural pursuits, an in
crease of twelve, not quite one convert
a year. What wonderful progression!
Morally these Indians are practically
the same as they were twenty years
ago; financially they are but little bet
ter off. Aside from a few small farms
wagons and farming implements, held
by some of the more energetic and in
duStriOus, they have comparatively
nothing except a great number Of worth
less ponies which, if they did not own,
they would not be any worse off. No
horned stock is owned by them at all.
ct would be unjust not to state that
a few have farms and keep constantly
at work trying to establish for them
selves comfortable homes. A majority,
however, seem to content themselves
with their present condition and con-
tinue in the old channel, leading a
life of idleness and degradation"
Agent Wisdom, of the Union agency,
Indian Territory, in charge of the five
civilized tribes, makes a strong plea for
the non-citizen insane persons residing
in the agency and says the ''Kee-ToO-
Wahs,'' the full blood society which led
the opposition to the Cherokees treat
ing with the Dawes commission are re-
considering their action, and that an
agreement with the CherOkeeS at an
early date may be possible. The agree
ment between the Creek and Dawes
commissions. he adds, doubtless will be
ratified by the Creek nation.
Agent Fuller of the Blackfeet agency,
Montana, referring to the opening of the
coded portion under the mineral land
laws last April says prospecting has
been practically fruitless and predicts
the abandonment of the so-called min
eral strip before the first of November.
J. r. Jewell in charge of the New York
agency, in his report alleges that after
careful investigation the funds of the
Seneca nation are almost wholly abs
sorbed by the officers of the nation, and
that they are in collision with white
men for such purpose. Agent JeWeu
says among other things, in picturing
the demoralizing conditions there the
SenecaS on the Allegheny and Cartar-
angus reservations are corporate body
under the name of the Seneca nation of
Indians and have a common interest in
the lands of both reservations. From
among the few of the corrupt dynasty
of officers a president is selected upon
the CattarauRuS reservation one year
and treasurer on the Allegheny reserva-
tons; and the next year a president
from the Allegheny reservation and the
preceding treasurer is elected president
and the former president elected treas
urer. This method has been pursued
for many years, and although the In
dams have endeavored to defeat the dy-
nasty that has ruled among them for
so long they are unable to do so. The
officers VIGOROUSLY use the funds OF the
nation to purchase the votes of ignorant
ana lll1LeraIe VINO Oh CAGCLAOA
day are always anxious for a small sum
of money. The better class of Indians
are not numerous enough to overcome
the power of these corrupt Indians who
have the funds of the nation with which
to corrupt the masses and perpetuate
their corrupt dynasty.
ct have been called upon" he says
''to attend the election upon several oc-
casions and while the Indians are fully
aware that the governing officers are
Incorporating their money they are
powerless to help themselves. am sat-
isfied that the present dynasty is more
corrupt than any other government by
the Indians themselves. In fact the
present dynasty is composed of the most
progressive of the Indians, but their
progress seems to be directed towards
absorbing for themselves and misappro-
priating all the funds of the nation.
Each year before election this dynasty
votes large sums of money to an 'execu-
tive committed to carry the election Tor
themselves. At the last election In
May, 1898 which I was ordered to at
tend, this executive committee to which
had been voted a large sum of money,
was openly using it to purchase votes