Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-11

The remnants of many other
tribes are now located in Indian
Territory. and others are on reser-
vations in different western states.
Nearly all of them are receiving wear
~ annuities. The Osages of Missouri
are receiving $3.50 per annum for
every man. woman and child in the
tribe. The amount paid out by the
United States during all these years
for land and annuities is enormous.
amounting To over four hundred mil
lions of dollars. Some of the tribes
have allotted farms and are doing
fairly well. Our present Indian com
missioner has made the statement
that the United States should cease
giving them annuities ard have them
go To work and earn their own liv-
ing.
We know but little about the orr
gin of our present race of Indiana
The prehistoric race that occupied
this country before the present race
has left many evidences of an adj
vanced state of civilization in the
many ancient mounds that are found
scattered all over the middle and
southern states. There are more
found in Ohio than in any other
state.
Some years ago when was at Ma
rietta. Ohio, l climbed circular
mound 100 feet high overlooking the
valley of the Ohio and Muskingum
rivers. 1t was used for the grand
stand for county fairs. Around the
base was a trench or moat six or
eight feet wide. Looking west to-
wards the Muskingum was a wide
space with earth walls six or eight
feet high, looking as if it had been
covered way from the mound to
the river. In some respects it look
ed as if it had been used like our
Black Hawk Watch Tower. to watch
the approach of enemies.
Farther south are found large de-
posits of pottery of all kinds of
shaped vessels. figures of animals,
etc You will find a fine collection
of this pottery ware in the Acade-
my of Science at Davenport. made
by my old time friend, Capt. Hall.
These mound builders were no
doubt driven south by the war-lile
tribes of the north to the land of the
Aztecs in Mexico, and the Toltecs of
Peru.
In all Central and South America
we find the remnants of many mas
sive buildings, temples erected for
the worship of the sun. In Peru
were well made roads of cut stone
running all over the empire of the
Incas, showing an advanced state of
civilization. In some respects they
were more advanced than their con-
querors, the Spaniards.
Under the leadership of the brutal
| Cortez and Pizarro millions of
these inoffensive natives were
slaughtered. millions more were
made slaves and compelled to work
the mines to satisfy the insatiate
greed of their conquerors for gold.
j now make departure from Indian
history To trace in brief the history
of Spain. Less than 800 years ago
Spain under Charles the Fifth and
Philip the Second vas the dominant
power of Europe. Spain possessed
nearly all of South America, Florida,
Louisiana and all the vast territory
west. and Cuba and Porto Rico.
Naughty and arrogant. she tried TO
dominate the civilized world. 1t is
said the mills of the Gods grind slow
but sure and fine.
During this short period in the
worlds history she has lost all South
America, Two years ago she ran
against that young giant of the
west, Uncle Sam. Cuba the gem OF
the Antilles and Porto Rico are
taken from her. the far off Philip
pines are wrested from her, her navy
is swept out of existence. striped OF
all her outside possession and she is
left poor and desolate.