Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-07
THE INDIAN Ar A FARr1ER

The American Indian is of that ply
sique which makes 4 farmer, and
the wonder Is that Tx -e not sent
into the fields ere this in. 4 maxi
Ing them go to school. Eo> ois
essential, but ninety-nine perez.
those who return home from sch> d
either do nothing or go into farm life.
The other one per cent. become pro-
fessional men. Within the past few
years the strides made by the Ameri-
can red man In farming have been re-
markabe. In the United States today
there are $4,000 Indians who earn their
own living by farm work. Last year
they sold their farm products for a
combined sum Of sl,40S S65, over and
above the expenses OF living. This was
nearly forty dollars per capita. which
is very good considering the fact that
thirty per cent. Of them have never be-
fore fsrmed an acre of land. Some OF
the Indian farmers never did a days
work In all their life before. Some
have been at work for five or six years.
One farmer, a Kiowa, living in Ok
lahoma raised last year wheat making
twenty-six bushels TO the acre, and
corn running sixty bushels, He TILED
the fields alone except In harvest time.
when he engaged q number OF harvest
hands to assist. His income from last
years crop was $500, His farm is a
model one. Originally, the land. COO
acres In extent, was set aside to him by
the Indian agent II lies in valley
near the Washita river, the soil is well
watered and rich. In the edge OF a
patch OF trees bordering on the farm,
was erected nice ilve-room cottage.
The stock were fattened, and every
farming implement was shielded for
winter. This Indian. who was once a
noted fighter. now puts in several
months In each year on his place, and
works even harder than the average
white farmer While one cannot say
too much good concerning his farming
| ability. his moral character is in keep
| ing with other Indians. Sometimes.
when he can get the liquor. he will re-
main drunk for a whole month. He
wears a blanket IN winter, and attends
the medicine dances and dog feasts In
summer. So. while the government
has tanned him in one way, II still has a
great deal 10 accomplish. As II Is with
this Kiowa farmer, one will also find
II with many other Indians. To make
a good farmer out OF a warrior, requires
no less than seven years.
There are today about 2s7,sOO Indians
In the United states. OF which 1929 600
do not work. Therefore only seven per
cent Of the entire Indian populat ton
on the reservation earn their own Nv
ing. excluding the Indians OF the 1--WE
civilized tribes. This is quite an i'm
provement over three years ago. when
not three per cent were capable OF TAX
NC care OF themselves There are today
$3.50 members OF the Ave civilized
tribes OF Indian territory. These are
the Cherokees. Creeks. Choctsws,
| Chickasaws. and Seminole Indians
They yet retain their land in common,
but II will be allotted before another
year. These are called educated In
dlans. and last year they earned 81, 800
WV iiVtlt Alt talF VI NTti anu tdltlt.
IL costs the government from four to
fve million dollars every year TO edu-
cate the Indians and set them up in
farming. The Usage lndians-ths
/ richest Indians in the United States
are. contrary TO general belief. the most
Industrious. They had out last year
10000 acres Of land, from which they
raised 10000 bushels Of wheat. 10000
| bushels OF oats and 500, 900 bushels OF
corn. The Sioux outnumber the Osages
two 10 one. hence the value Of their
PRODUCTS was even greater than those
OF the Osages But the Sioux 70 In
for osttle-raising, having sold 1900
head Of cattle In one season. and made
tsseco thsrefrom. The Cherokees are
also great ostue-rt,sere Practical
farming Is now being taught IN many
Indian schools Of the southwest ooun.
try.-w. n. Draper. N New Yefk Har-
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