The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-06-30

sometimes The punishment varies
from ten to $50 lashes. the cuIpIlt
! bares his back, sits down, and taxes
/ his punishment without a groan ana
without finching. My guide informed
me that at that time q member OF tAe
/ tribe was awaiting the usual casuSa-
ton for drunkenness. He had met the
man a day or two before, and informed
him u hear Saltese says you are 10
| get the 'quirt' and 'Skookum' Tor DeIlS
| drunk" The man replied in quite
matter of course sort of way, Il suppose
/ if Saltese says so, it must be true.
There is, am told. very little drunh-
enness on the reservation. The IN
dams are for the most part so COM
pleteIy under the influence or the re
iigious teachings which they receive at
the mission station. that they seldom
err in any of the respects to Whlch L
have referred.
The mission station, with lts pretty
and quite cOmmOdiOuS church, us
schools. clergy house, and other build
ings. is situated on picturesque knoll
with many private residence, amongst
these the house in which the Indian
agent resides, at the foot, and an eX-
tensive plain of park like scenery
spreads out in the foreground as laF
as the eye can gaze.
The clergy and sisters of mercy, VINO
=
engaged in the spiritual oversight OF
the people and education of the young
received me most cOurteously, ana gave
me all the information for which L ask
ed. There are over 500 Indians on the
reservation, 1873 families, and LOO houses.
There are about 100 children OF Dotn
sexes in regular attendance at the
schools All the Indians, with few eX-
ceptions attend service on Sunday
mornings at least. Many of them nave
what they call their Sunday mouse,
at the mission station.
The chiefs Sunday house is a model
of cottage architecture, and is furnish
ed regardless of expense. Every sat
urday evening he drives in his closed
carriage with his family, to the mis-
sion station. His elegant carriage ana
fine pair of horses, driven by white
coachman, in gorgeous livery, presents
a striking appearance. Chief Saltese
is a model Indian. He feels it incum-
bent upon him to show good example
to the rest of the tribe, and never, II he
can help it, misses the early Mass on
Sunday morning.
Saltese's farm house is not quite so
grand. Here he lives in a more free
and easy style of life. 1t is said that he
often puts up the old tepee, or wigWam,
and lives for a time in that, according
to the fashion of his forefathers. But,
in fact, the white people of this western
state, during part of the summer
months, go camping out in tents along
the shores of Lake Occur d'Alene. The
farm house in which Saltese spends the
greater part of his time is COmmodiOus
and comfortable, we'll supplied with all
the common conveniences of home life.
This Indian chief is said to be a very
wealthy man. He does not believe In
putting his money into banks, and 1t
may be safely said that he has not at
all been affected by recent bank fail
ures. He loans out large suElS OF
money on interest to the neighboring
farmers. / am not certain as to the
actual amount of his wealth in ready
cash, but think the amount mentioned
was something like $4,000 or $4,000.
When it is not out on loan it is hidden
away in secret places, hidden so Sc
curely as to defy discovery. His money
is always in gold, and between him. his
squaw and few true and trusted
friends a constant guard is maintained.
SaItese has unbounded confidence in
his friend the gentleman by whom L
was escorted. and consults him when
ever a white man applies to him for
loan. He asks for no bond or endorse
ment than the good word of his white
friend.
Most of the Indians on this reserva-
ton are what may be called wealthy
With a reservation of rich land of eight
or ten square miles, why should they
not be wealthy? But it is only of late
years that they have begun to improve
their splendid estates. The 1873 families
by which it is occupied do not culti-
yate more than is necessary for their
own immediate wants.. Each man has
his own herd of cattle or horses, which
all roam about promiscuously through
out the entire extent of the reserVa-
ton l was informed that last year
these Indians had 1890 acres in crop,
and sold $4,000 worth of farm produce
and stock This year they have more
than three times as many acres under
crop"
The money which they receive from
the government for their lands amount
ed to over 100000. 1t has not been
sduandered, but expended in building
houses, improving the lands, adding to
the stock and what has not been eX-
pended in these several ways has either
been carefully boarded or loaned out
on interest.
There is in short only little left of
the primitive savage in this tribe of
North American Indians They live in
houses like ordinary civilized people, /
they dress decently after the custom of
the white man, they are quiet, peace
their church with Commendable regu- I
arity. pay literally to the support of /
their clergy and schools on the mission /
station, are respectful and deVOut in
their behavior while in attendance at .
religious services, and altogether fur j
1ish as good an example of practical +
Christianity as anything that may be /
seen in the conduct of their white /
1eighbOrs.
I hnt fc, ~
lied rtibe of Indians to be found on the /
continent. It may be so. I can at least
Dear testimony to the fact that they are 7
thoroughly civilized. If they are not /
civilized, then. indeed, our own peo- |
pie Of the white races are still barbar- +
ans.
One incident L may mention in con- |
,lusion- l was in company with the |
gentleman to whom | am indebted for /
his visit land other Opportunities of /!
Judging the Indian on the Occur |
l Alene reservation on one occasion, /
when we were walking down the street !
II a small neighboring town. A well I
dressed Indian hailed my friend. and +
came in haste across the street to .
meet US. He reached out his hand and |
placed a $40 gold piece into the hand of |
ny companion, with the remark: This I
your money" And without saving an |
,ther word. turned and went away. |
THAT'S some money 1 lent him the I
)ther day when he was short" was |
informed, and the further remark was
made: Not many white men would be I
10 anxious to pay their debts" And NV !
friend Informed me further that he !
never knew any of these Indians to |
all IN paying promptly any debt to /
which they were justly due.
Norway, where not so long since
avery Catholic Priest found was con-
iemned to death, and Catholic laymen |
we're deprived of their possessions and /