Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-11-14
the BALLOT FOR INDIANS
American Red Mems Congress
Will Demand Franchise.
NAY ASSEMBLE AT ROSEBUD, 8. D.

IA Aoo01o0A n 0vS0OSAs ~ ~
Leaders of More Advanced Tribes
Preparing For = Great Council Of
Delegates From All Reservations.
Right to Vote In National and
state Elections U-gsd.
Preparations are going quietly on for
what, 1t Is expected, will be the largest
and most important congress- of Ameri-
can Indians the country has ever wit
messed, says a special dispatch from
Rosebud, s. d., to the Washington
Post. The red men, seeing that. GER
tain tribes are permitted to cast bal
lots in the elections held in their dis
ricts. have come to the conclusion
that all should be registered as full
dedged American citizens, not alone
entitled to hold real estate as indi-
yiduals, but to express by their fran
chises their preferences for candidates
for all political offices from Justices OF
the peace to the presidential nominees.
1t Is asserted by Indians who are
concerned in the proposed congress
that couriers are now ell route to every
tribe In the United States. These
couriers are authorized by their re-
spective tribes to acquaint the tribes
they visit with the plans Of the pro-
| ponents Of the conference and to In
duce each tribe to send delegates to
the proposed congress.
At what date and at ,what agency
the congress is to be held has not been
made known, but from the fact that
the Omahas, Winnebagoes, Cheyennes
and some Of the Sioux tribes are en-
titled to vote under existing laws 1t is
believed that the conference Is called
| for at one of the agencies established
| for some one Of these four tribes. The
Rosebud agency appears to be the one
that is most likely to be selected be-
cause Of its proximity to the reserva-
tons of the west. This will require
long journey for the Apaches, the
Nee Perces. the Arapahoes and the
| Nava joes, but distance cannot be avoid
Cd, and the location Of the congress
must be suited to the convenience Of
the largest number of Indians.
The information regarding the con-
Gress comes from a confidential source.
and as the originat0rs have arranged
the preliminary details In secret coun-
cds, all those attending being pledged
to the utmost secrecy. II 10 difficult to
obtain positive and explicit informa,
ton regarding the gathering. So far as
can b. learned NO definite plan Of pro-
cedure has yet been agreed upon. but
the advanced tribes contain many men
oe education. skilled In dealings with
the Great White Father at Washing
ton, and once the congress is. assem-
bled. It 10 believed methods Of assailing
congress for geDeral legislation emit
thing the Indian to vote will soon be
devised and will quickly be put into
execution.
), Intense dissa tisfoctioo exists among
tAe Indians with the school system
which the government Is maintaining.
Tbs Indiau-that ID. the worthy men,
bess Of the race-wishes to be taught
to work. ~ In that lies his own saliva
ton The incubation ct the higher
branches Of knowledge only serves to
degrade the Indian In the. sight Of his
mates. az the educated Indian Ii beOked
upon amoag his people much as u the
dude In Tia cities Of civilization, The
school, question will also probably b..
taken up ct the forthcoming congress-
and . de1send upon the government
formulated to tie effect that the InaI,
ane be gives education in the meclnan
les, advanced farming and along other
lines which will permit the race to e.
tablish itself ON plane Of progress.
The Ougress. it is believed. will I've
held some time during December. but
earlier date.
If the Indians are successful in seA
curing franchise privileges for all usssts
members Of the race. huge addition
to the western vote will he recorded.
and It will be probiematical to- which
Of the Political parties this vote will in
eline. In one respect the enfranchis--
opportunities for fraud, as tina average
Indian y susceptible to metallic tnftt
ences to q higher degree even than thu
imported ignorant foreign laboser.
As the gathering will he oae Of
peaceful measures the government VII
have no reason to prevent It. It ID an
tieipated that several hundred dele
gates viii attend the great council ausf
that every tribe in the United States
win have IT'S advocate Of the eiecttln
franchise present. tvs