Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-04
WORK AMONG INDIANS
Local Association Celebrates
Twenty first Anniversary.
REVIEW OF HISTORY
MR.. s. N. BRosIUs DISCUSSES
PROPERTY RIGHTS OF TRIBES.
Deprecates the Attitude Of National
Government Toward It's Wards
Other Topics Discussed.


meeting of the society yesterday afternoon
at the First Baptist Church, 10th and o
streets northwest. The association is COM
posed altogether OF women. Mrs. M. E. F.
Wilbur, the president of the auxiliary, pre-
sided. the meeting being opened by the
rendering Of the Andante Finale from
Lucia by Miss Marie Luise Heinrich.
Addresses were delivered by Mrs. Wilbur.
Mr.. s. M. Brosius, Washington agent OF
the Indian Rights Association Of Phila-
delphia; Mrs. Amelia S. Quinton, president
Of the National Indian Association, and
Miss Alice Fletcher, for many years a mis-
sionary of the National Association to the
Omaha Indians. Before the meeting tea
was served and at it's close additional re-
freshments were provided by the ladies of
the First Baptist Church.
In her opening address Mrs. Wilbur re-
from the time Of its organization, March
3, 1882
Through the influence Of Mrs Harriet
Foote Hawley.' said Mrs. Wilbur, Mrs.
National Indian Association Of Philadel-
phia. was invited to meet the ladies Of
various denominations in this city to con-
slider the desirabiity of forming an aux
iliary in Washington to awaken public SEN
timent, and by petitions and otherwise to
engage the attention Of our honorable Con-
gress in favor of the Indian tribes of our
country. The first officers were Mrs. Haw-
ley, president; Miss Laura Sunderland, Sec
rotary, and the following vice presidents:
Mesdames Andrews, Stickney Sunderland,
Pomery. Halstead. Haskell, Dawes, Keifer,
Hoar, Alley, Dalgren and Scull.
Home Building Inaugurated.
1.-THE first five years Of work was largely
theoretical, but in all about $500 was raised
by the ladies to further the avowed OBJ
jects Of the association. In February
1885, the auxiliary was the first to int TO-
duce home building in reference to the In
dian question. At the suggestion of Miss
Alice Fletcher a fund was raised to help a
young Omaha couple in Hampton to build
and furnish their cabin and start life on
the reservation.
Mrs. Hawley died in 1886 and was sue
ceeded as president by her sister, Miss
GERS have been Mrs. A. G. Wilkinson, Mrs.
Albert Brockett, until, when, in 1887 your
present president was elected
Mrs Wilbur closed by quoting a speech Of
Mrs. Hawley a short while before her
death:
eff you have loved me, take up my work
and go on with it; nor stop, nor stay your
hands until every Indian in this country
can stand free before Cod whom he has
learned to worship, in full possession Of his
home, in full exercise of his citizenship,
and on an equality in every respect with his
neighbor-the white man."
Address by Mr.. Brosius.
At the conclusion of her address, Mrs.
Wilbur introduced Mr.. Brosius, who spoke
Of the changed condition under the law that
the Indian had assumed in relation to prop
erty rights within the past year.
'The statute authorizing the sale Of lands
of deceased allottees,'' said he, meant the
breaking up Of distinctive bodies of Indians,
by interspersing continually increasing
number Of settlers among them, which
means the establishment of public schools
The Indian, however, should be encouraged
to retain title to his lands until he is taught
the value Of Them
He told Of the decision of the United,
States Supreme Court, in which it is held
that Congress has authority to dispose of
Indian reservation lands at WILL without
the consent of the Indians, no matter how
binding the obligation of treaty or agree
ment. He declared that while the Supreme
Court intimated that Congress would deal
fairly with these wards Of the government,
we may look forward to the early seizure Of
all reservation lands for purposes of home
on, the conscience of the country should be
aroused in support of justice toward this
race of people.
Mr.. Brosius stated that in the last five
years the NUMBER OF indian agencies mad
been reduced from fifty-seven to thirty
three. This was an encouragement to be-
lteve that the Indians would be relieved
from the spoils Of the politician. The re-
duction of agencies was largely due to the
efforts Of W. A. Jones, the com
missioner of Indian affairs.
Work Of National Association.
Mrs Quinton gave a synopsis of the work
Of the National Association, and told Of the
direction which it is proposed to give the
future efforts of the society She told of
her part in the formation of the Washing
ton Auxiliary and of the first petition,
which was presented to President Arthur
She detailed the good results attained by
the Home Building Association, giving an
instance in Alaska where eighteen Indians
once lived in single room, and where,
through the work of the Building Associa-
ton, eight cottages were built and the In
dams themselves built five more. Now
there is quite a little hamlet, and the In
dams have built themselves a club house.
Work Of this kind, she said, was being done
all over the country. There are fifty such
stations among the different tribes includ-
ing the Shoshones. Seminoles, Moquis Ma
vajos and at Sitka, Alaska.
Mrs. Quinton described some of the work
accomplished by the industrial department
under the direction of Mrs. Doubleday of
New York. Through its influence Indian
large dry goods stores.
The Omaha Indians.
Miss Alice Fletcher was the next to
speak, and described her experiences among
the Omaha Indians. She said she had learn
ed the Indian problem facing east instead
of west. She told of her work in shaping
several bills passed by Congress in 1881
She held that Indian children should not be
in government schools, but in the
regular public schools, for the association
with white children would be Of great bene-
fit to them.
When Miss Fletcher had finished Mrs. T.
n. Alexander offered a resolution asking
president Roosevelt to continue Col Pratt
as superintendent Of the Carlisle Indian
School. 1t was adopted unanimously.
Launch Greatly Improved.
s The large power launch Alma, owned by
Mr.. D. Frazee of this city, since being