The age-herald., 1900-01-14

of permitting a white man to assume the rulership of a tribe of Indians, and while he was waiting to near from the depart ment Of the interior he inaugurated an active campaign on his own account
 majority of the members of the tribe however, still stand true to Roddy, and he expects to be inaugurated at an early date
 lie mas already made arrangements to leave Chicago and will build a house for his family in the very heart of the Winne- bago country Then he will proceed to do all in his power to improve the condition of the tribe.
 At the present time the Winnebagos are by no means the most civilized of the h. dian nations. They are faithful, bright and intelligent, and maintain a sort of tribal government sufficient to emphasize its na- tive character, but they have never had the opportunities to improve their condition that has been accorded many less peaceful nations. Even today there are practically no schools on the reservation and the young men and women who desire to obtain an education are compelled to travel distance of fifty miles
 The tribal lands are extensive and the members might easily support themselves by farming. Several times during the past ten years efforts have been made to per suade them to adopt agriculture but the men have never taken kindly to the pro- posal and they now left to work out their own salvation.
 As soon as Mir. Roddy takes control of the helm of state he will make a determin- ed effort to interest the men in the cuItiva- tio1 of their lands. He will introduce re- form methods into affairs of the councils and will put the government upon a more modern basis. He will open schools in the villages attendance al which will be com pulsory in the case of the child VI and younger men and women. Even the older people will be permitted to attend, how ever. and the new chief is confident that within a few years those who visit the Winnebagos will be able to distinguish marked improvement in the condition of >the tribe
 In the carrying out of this work MT. Rod dy will have an able assistant in his wife. Although Mrs. Roddy has never lived among the Indians, she has frequently vis- ited the tribe, and her heart is in thorough sympathy with the work that Is to be un- dertaken. It is her intention to devote her self chiefly to the women of the tribe. Dur ing her visits to the reservation she found that the squaws were lazy and careless; that they had only the vaguest ideas about housekeeping and cooking, and she will do her utmost to persuade them to adopt cleaner and more practical methods.
 While it is a question whether or not the Indians themselves will take kindly to such a broad system of reformation. there can be no doubt that it would be greatly to their advantage to allow themselves to be governed by their white chief in all things. Black Hawk, who was not una ware of MT. Roddys intentions, but who felt that he was too old to undertake Ito inaugurate such sweeping reforms, realized that the civilization and moral improve ment in his tribe could be obtained in no other way, and he undoubtedly acted wise- ly when he prevailed upon the trfbesmen to see that his laSt instructions were car riAd oilk