The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-02-12
THE BALLOT FOR INDIANS
American Red Mems Congress
Will Demand Franchise.
NAY ASSEMBLE AT ROSEBUD, s. D.

NAY ASSEMBLE AT ROSEBUD, s. b.
LEADERS ssx More Advanced Tribes
Preparing For a Great Council Of
Delegates From ALA Reservations.
Right to Vote In National and
State Elections Urged.
Preparations are going quietly on for
what, 1t Is expected, viii 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
tricts, have come to the conclusion
that all should be registered as fun
entitled to hold real estate as ihdt
vtduals. but to express by their fran
chises their preferences for candidates
Tor all political offices from Justices Of
the peace to the presidential nominees.
It Is asserted by Indians who are
concerned In the proposed congress
that couriers are now en- 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 70
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 It 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
a long journey for the Apaches, the
Nez Perces, the Arapahoes and the
Navajoes, but distance cannot beavoid-
ed, 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 originators have arranged
the preliminary details in secret coun-
ellis, all those attending being pledged
to the utmost secrecy, it is difficult to
obtain positive and explicit informa-
ton regarding the gathering. So far as
can be learned no definite plan of pro-
cedure has yet been agreed upon, but
the advanced tribes contain many men
of education, skilled in dealings with
the Great White Father at Washing
ton, and once the congress is assem-
bled it is believed methods of assailing
congress for general legislation enti-
Ting the Indian to vote will soon be
devised and will quickly be put into
execution.
Intense dissatisfaction exists among
the Indians with the school system
which the government is maintaining.
The Indian-that is, Tie worthy mem
bers of the race-wishes to be taught
to work, as in that lies his own saliva
ton. The incubation Of the higher
branches of knowledge only serves to
degrade the Indian in the sight Of his
mates, as the edusated Indian is looked
upon among his people much as is the
dude in the cities of civiliz alton. The
school question will also probably be
taken up at the Forthcoming congress
md n nd no ,f,f,f
formulated to the effect that the lndf-
ane be given education in the mecha~
les. advanced farming and along othe
lines which will permit the race to es
tablish itself on plane of progress.
The congress, it is believed, will be
neld some time during December, but
1t may be at iater or possibly even an
earlier date.
Ii the Indians are successful in Sc
curing franchise privileges for all male
members of the race, a huge addition
to the western vote will be recorded,
and it will be predetermined to which
of the political parties this vote will in
cline. In one respect the enfranchise-
ment of the Indian race will furnish
opportunities LOT lraud, as the average
Indian is susceptible to metallic inf1u-
ences to higher degree even than the
imported ignorant foreign laborer.
As the gathering will be one of
peaceful measures the government will
have no reason to prevent it. 1t is an
ticipated that several hundred dele
gates will attend the great council and
that every tribe in the United States
will have its advocate Of the election
franchise present