The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-08-21
lIILLELACSPOW WOW
The Council With the Mile Laos In.
dams Now in Progress at the
Village of Lawrence. <s..
Chief Wau-Wee.ku-m mich Tells of the
White rlan's Perfidy in Dealing
With the Indians.
Especial Correspondence to the UNION.

LAWRENCE, Mimi. Aug. 10, 1902.
The opening pow-wow, the first of a
series of councils which have for their
object the removal of the Indians to
Which Earth, is past and gone. Tues
day morning, the day appointed for the
meeting broke cold and cherries, but
the inclemencies of the weather in no
wise checked the invasion of the red
men into Lawrence. They came from
out the forests, and from far across the
big lake in their light canoes. By
noon the townsite of Lawrence had
become a large Indian town and the
shores of the lake were white with
birch bark canoes.
During the morning Major McLaugh-
lin had won his way to the red-man's
heart by shooting large steer in the
vital spot behind the ear, from a good
range. The steer was Immediately
cut up by the Indians, and the air was
soon rich with the fragrance of roasted
beef cooking wherever there was a
campfire.
The council was called at 2:3O P. NJ.
and the act of congress providing for
the removal of the Indians was first
Interpreted to them. Major Michelet
then made strong statement and ar
gument, encouraging the Indians to
settle on a reservation where they
could acquire title to land and property,
and would not live like vagabonds on
the face of the earth. He used a little
incident with telling effect, when he
described a little dead Indian child
that he had seen carried over Mile
Laos for burial, telling the Indians
that it made him sad when he thought
that that life might have been saved
had they lived where good doctor
could be had.
Major Mclaughlin then spoke
through the interpreter, assuring the
Indians that all their statements would
be the truth, and that any agreement
entered into would be carried out to
the letter by the government. It was
then that Wau-wee-ku-mich, the chief
OF the tribe, rose to his feet, and with
impassioned eloquence recited the
white mans perfdy in his dealings
with the Indians. Four times had
Wau-wee-ku-mich met the government
officials in council, when the great
spirit had been called down to witness
that the officials spoke the truth, and
as many times the Indians had been
misled and cheated by the deceit of a
liar. He closed with the statement
that the Indians were losing faith in
the word of the white man. Major
Mclaughlin replied with great tact
and when he had concluded Wau-wee-
ku-mich rose and said that the major
had spoken the truth and the Indians
trusted him. Following this there was
nothing but good feeling, and when
the council adjourned to meet at 10
A. M. Wednesday morning all felt that
the settlement. with the Indians was
not such an empty dream after all.
The government is especially fortu-
nate in it's choice of men to negotiate
the agreement. Major Michelet is
honest and straightforward and has
the confidence of the Indians, while
Major Mclaughlin has thirty years of
successful diplomacy with the Indians
behind him. Major Mclaughlin has
absolute power to bind the govern
ment to an agreement, and if the pres
ent attempt to adjudicate the difficult
ties is unsuccessful, it will be folly to
look for a settlement in the near
future.