New-York tribune., 1903-04-21
FRIENDS OF RED MEN.
Indians Are Treated Better NO5C,
SaqS DR.. Spinning.

The whole blankety blank business Is lot OF
nonsense kept alive by women and cranks. said
che Rev. Dr.. George L. Spinning yesterday morn
ing before the New-York City Indian Association
quoting the words Of enlightened member Of the
national legislature in regard 70 the efforts that
have been put forth by churches and other organi-
zatiors 20 cvflize the In5ians- The Congressman an
thought that 10 Indian was to know all
Indians, and. having seen drunken Digger lnoian
before some vagabond white mans saloon during
: trip in the West. he concluded that all Indians
the same: and his return he declared with
out hesitation qualification. that the noble red
nan vas Fl Tor nothing but slavery or exterrnina-
don
7 turned out OF Investigation that the Congress
nan knew nothing whatever ABOUT the Indians.
and. considering that they the wards Of the
natior Dr. Spinning thought that rreTrbers of Con
Erees ought TO know something about them II
they did they would scarcely dare 10 condemn
them for ignorance and incapacty, since the gov
eminent has appropriated 100000 Of their money
<o- educational purposes. and is still i've hundred
schools behind its treaty obligations, assumed sew
=rteen years ago.
OF the present administration OF the indian de-
partEent. Dr.. Spinning spoke in terms OF the high
esr cormendation-
The Hon William z Jones' he said. 'is one Of
-e most efficient and conscientious public servants
4 has ever been my fortune to meet. and the Ind
whole. are doing snlendid work
Among the reforms Instituted by the present ad-
rtustratio1 the speaker mentioned the cutting on
n ratious and allotment Of lands in severalty the
breaking up OF polygamy and iegaiizaton Of Ind
ian marriages the discountenanciug Of public ex-
hibitions q Indians tne encouragement OF native
arts and the regulation OF Indian family names
The opportunity 70 exchange tribal for personal
ownership Of land is being generally taken ad-
vantage Of he eaid. and last year seven thousand
sIlotueuts in severalty were made The Indians
thus became citizens. and in Dakota there are so
many Tnd!an citizens that the elections eften turn
upor the Indian vote.
The interference with the family names has been
made the subject of considerable ridicue. but Dr..
Spinning maintained that the step necessary.
such names as often given TO Indian chill
dre- degrade seIf-DeSpect'' he said. and by way OF
illustration he quoted large number from the rec
ords OF the Carlisle Indian School Translated into
English these have such meanings as Corn
cob Smoker Heavy Hangs the Hair on One Side
Of Her Head" Stands the Top Rock" Looks
with His Ear
In conclusion Dr. Spinning referred TO the un-
fortunate condition OF the indians Of the Sacaton
Ee<e-va tso7 IN Arizona. and said he had been as
sred BY the proper authorities that whatever plan
~ irrigation was adopted for this region the in
teresrs Of the Indians would be safeguaroed These
Indiars who formerly lived by agriculture and IL
rEzted their land by means Of water brought from
the Cila River were reduced TO starvation five
years ago By the diversion of the water for the
be-eht n whites living further I'd tse strssIn
'2Ctrton. president Of the National indian Asso-
c!auon, who said a few w2ros ores aoooe - tne ne nem "
the care OF the New-York City association. Pre-
ceding the address articles incorporating the New
York City indian Assocaiien were signed the cor
po-stors being Elizabeth a. Gordon CharloIte A.
IagEart Acia L Lair6 Al &C r IaFTare hT IL :
Elliott Aurora =. Green. Jessie a Fereance. Carrie
:. ?. T-ipp, Julia Wilson ana Saran a, o.spey- pe
non rnirht he able TO receive the Rebecca Collins
Memorial Fund amounting f % - TO- 90 the isSt i've
years oy the Manhattan East Side Mission