The Van Buren press., 1898-12-03
STRUCK THE SPANISH FLAG.
Capt. Pixies Story of an Incident In
1906 Mt n Pawnee Village
in Kansas.

In 1906, at a Pawnee Indian village.
the Great American Desert, the site
Of which is now in Republic county,
Kan. Zebulon M. Pike hauled down the
Spanish flag and ran up Old Glory in
It's stead. On September % of each year
,he people Of north central Kansas meet
at the little town of Republic City to
commemorate the deed of Capt. Pike.
This year the celebration was of spe-
cial interest because of the war with
Spain.
Kansas, in 1906, was in disputed ter
ritory, and the relations between the
United States and Spain wore a serious
| aspect. Actual hostilities between the
troops on the Texas and Orleans
frontiers were narrowly averted The
Pawnee Indians were flying the Span
ish flag because of fear of the parent
country. When Capt. Pike arrived at
the Pawnee village, he decided to rest
a day on his expedition to the Rocky
mountains, where he discovered the
great peak which was named in his
Capt. Pike held council The notes
he took on that occasion were after
ward seized by the Spanish authorities,
together with copies of all his speeches
to the different Indian nations.
AT the recent celebration held at Re-
public City Capt, Pixies own story of
the incident was read
But it may be interesting to OBJ
serve here said Capt. Pike, in speak
Ing of the documents which the Span
Ish government had seized, sin case
they should be returned, that the Span
iards had left several of their flags in
this village, one of which was unfurled
at the chiefs door the day of the grand
council, and that among various
charges and demands I gave them was
that the said flag should be delivered
TO me, and one of the United States flags
be received and hoisted in its stead.
This probably was carrying the pride
of the nation a little too far, as there
had so lately been large force of Span
ish cavalry at the village, which had.
made q great impression on the minds
of the young men as to their power,
consequence, etc, which my appear
ance with 20 infantry was by no means
calculated to remove. After the chiefs
had replied to various parts of my dis
course, but were silent as to the flag,
| again reiterated the demand for the
flag, adding that it was impossible for
the nation to have two fathers-that
they must either be the children of the
Spaniards or acknowledge their Ameri-
can father.
"After a silence of some time an old
man arose, went to the door, took down
the Spanish flag, brought it in and laid
1t at my feet. He then received the
American flag and elevated it on the
staff which had lately borne the stand
ard of his Catholic majesty. This gave
great satisfaction to the Osages and
Kaws, both of whomregistered vows to
be themselves under American protec-
ton.
"Perceiving that every face in the
council was clouded with sorrow, as if
some great national calamity were
about to befall them, | took up the con-
tested eoors and told them that, as
they had shown themselves dutiful chill
dren in acknowledging their great
American father, did not wish to en-
barrass them with the Spaniards, for it
was the wish of the Americans that
theirred brethren should remain peace
ably around their own fires and not
embroil themselves In any disputes be-
tween the white people, and for fear
, that the Spaniards might return there
in force again, l returned them their
flag. but with an injunction that it
should never be hoisted again during
our stay. At this there was a general
shout of applause, and the charge was
particularly attended to-
At the recent celebration 1t was voted
that the state of Kansas should erect on
the site of the old Pawnee village a
monument commensurate with the
deed of Capt. Pike.-N. Y. Sun.