Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-28
some GOOD INDIANS
Indian Agent at Tama Defends
Musquakies From George
.Thayer's Criticism
OBJECTS TO THE TERM BUCK

i ceptional Cases ct Indians Accept
ina Civilization &c, Refute Mr.. Thay-
ere Description Of the Tribe as a
Whole.
[As might have heen expected when
Mr.. George Il. Thayer wrote of the
ITama Indians just AS he saw them the
gentleman who holds a good job as
Indian agent feels called upon to de-
fend his charge. Mr.. Thayer wrote of
the Tama Indian SIS q class and re-
ported them just as they appear to
hundreds Of citizens who have seen
them at home on their reservation,
however. there are among them few
notable exceptions and these Agent
Malin has fittingly described. Barring
the exhibition of i'll feeling toward Mr..
Thayer, which is entirely uncalled for,
his article will make interesting read
I ing altfo after we have carefully com
pared both statements we fail to ma
| in Mr.. Thayers article the inaccuracies
complained of and if we We're to select
the article most accurately descriptive
of the Sac and Fox Indians as tribe
we would prefer the disinterested state
ment of an observing newspaper man
to the plea of an advocate holding the
| job of Indian agent-Ed.l
| Editor Times Republican, Toledo,
Oct. 25, 1902: In your issue Of Oct.
| 20. 1902, an article appeared under the
caption OF mo hope for the reds ana
signed by George F. Thayer, which
contains more of lnfairness of state
ment. ignorance OF actual conditions,
and absolute untrutlfulness as to facts,
| to the square inch, than anything rel
alive to the Sac and Fox Indians In
Tama county Iowa, that has fallen I'M
der my observation for the last quarter
1 of century.
| When this writer OF the article re-
ferred to, permitted himself to descend
to SO low a level as to use the term
"Buck'' as applied to men, he adver-
tised himself beforehand, as being I'M
fitted for the task which he with so
much confidence assumed. namely, tnat
| OF giving a true account OF these much
misunderstood people. Does this writer,
who has assumed the role of an edu-
Gator. or. rather that OF imparting In
formation to an intelligent and dis
eliminating public, consider the iac',
that these Indians have a civilization
| the characteristics Of which are en-
Itirely separate and distinct from that
which we denomirlate, christian civili-
cation. and which will not permit Its
yotaries to use opprobrious epithets as
applied to men OF other nationalities.
| and which they claim to be better
adapted to their real needs and better
for the Indian himself, because, he
claims, that until be became contamin-
ated with the white mans vices by
personal contact his civilization met
his every possible requirement, and
therefore, 1t is net because of his abb
original ideas and customs, rhat he
lives the degraded life which has fall
len to his lot. But do not propose
writing homily on morality, nor to
defend the vices as practiced by some
Indians and white men alike, but rather
to correct some Of the damaging and
untruthful statements contained in the
article referred to.
Now to his statements: Here you
find huddled together some 800 In
dians,'' etc. These people live In small
communities on their own land, but.
in various localities, covering an area
Of two miles north and south by the
same distance east and west, SO they
lean not be said to be "huddled together"
to any considerable extent.
N
convey the idea, that the government
i is paying s32 to each and every one
of these Indians, direct from the ma
tional treasury, and that this is free
gift taken from the revenues of the
government and given to them for their
support and therefore, they are men
dicants, depending upon the bounty of
the government for their very existence.
Nothing could be more misleading, or
at variance with the facts, than this
Iintimation. This government by treaty,
made and entered into with these In
dams in the year 1912, and ratified III
the year following, promised to pay 10
these Indians the interest on a sum OF
| 100000 at the rate OF 5 per cent per
annum, for the land then held, and
owned by them in Iowa, and which they
ceded to the government as per these
and other stipulations. and this interest
lis the annuity which is now being
paid, semi annually to the Indians, of
which the writer Of the article re-
ferred to, complains. This treaty has
as signatories, the names of some men,
of whom the writer no doubt has
heard, names which will go down thru
the ages, as among the greatest this.
or any other country has produced
John Tyler was then president, and
Daniel Webster was secretary of state.
and both of these are appended. on the
part Of the United States OF America
and the names of Ke-O-kuk, and Pow
E. shiek, with 9. host of others. on the
part of the Indians. 1t is no more a gift
to pay these Indians this annuity which
is their just due, than 1t is a gift to
pay the interest on the bonds of the
government. E.ut 1T is below the dig
nifty Of buck to do any work what
soever (this has been written before
and denied as ,often) but by constantly
watching them for week at time. If
Il r.. .