Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-04-07

| seventeen OF the nineteen cOmmun
tiles of the Pueblo Indians of New
Mexico were represented in meetin!
here yesterday by delegates, 64 in mum
ber. The delegates being the COVER
nors, assistant governors and minor of
ficers and principal merchants of sucl
Pueblos. They represented about 8,
900 Pueblo Indians, and were in coun
Gil for the purpose of protesting
against the operation Of the recent de
cision of the territorial supreme court
which decided that the lands of the
Pueblo Indians of New Mexico are tax
able, and that the Indians themselves
are citizens. This congress was ex
ceedingly unique and interesting. The
meeting was held in the chapel of the
United States Indian Industrial School
was held upon request of the Indians,
was witnessed throughout by Superin-
tendent G. ]. Crandall and Judge A. J.
Abbott, as United States special attor-
ney for the Pueblo Indians of New
Mexico. The congress on behalf of all
| the Pueblos of the Territory signed a
protest addressed to the President of
the United States, the department of
the interior and Congress against the
taxation of their lands and other prop
critics, and expressed their disinclina-
tion to assume the rights, duties and
responsibilities of citizenship, and
their wish to keep themselves entirely
free from participation in the political
affairs of the Territory and county gov
ernments. They expr@ssed a con-
sciousness of theif5 unftlsess Il partici-
pate in governmental matters for want
of both education and experience.
They claim they were the original own
ers of the lands, that their ancestors
owned it before the advent of the
Spaniards in New Mexico before the
organization of the Mexican govern
ment that of right the government of
the United States should no. impose
any burdens upon them, nor any re-
strictions so long as they do not vlo-
late the laws, nor in any way inter,
fere with their neighbors, The white
people. 1t is entirely proper to say
that much credit is due to Pablo
Abeita, the assistant governor Of the
Pueblo of Isleta for his intelligent IN
depreciation from the English into the
Indian and Spanish languages and for
the discreet direction of his people in
the matters connected with their coun-
Gil and in putting into form and intel
ligent expression the ideas OF his peo-
pie, who are so deeply interested in
this, a matter of such vital importance
to them. Much credit is also due to
Ulysses Grant Paisano of the Pueblo of
Laguna, who interpreted from the
English into the Indian language,
spoken by a number of the southern
Pueblos, being different language
from that spoken by the larger num-
ber of the representatives present
from the central and northern Pueblos.
The congress was orderly and the pro.
ceedings were conducted with gravity
and dignity The Indians treated SUI
perintendent Crandall and Attorney
Abbott with phenomenal respect and
courtesy and seemed to appreciate all
efforts put forth by them to facilitate
their labOrs and to promote the OBJ
jects and purposes for which the con-
gress was called. Just before the close
of the afternoon session there were a
number of addresses made by promi-
nent Indians from several OF the Pue'
bios expressing their good will to all
their people wherever located and to
whatever Pueblo they might belong
and sending greetings to the various
Pueblos through their representatives
present. The council was addressed
by Superintendent Crandall and Judge
Abbott upon the subjects OF vital
Importance to them and to deliberate
upon which this meeting was called.
The history of the way in which this
matter of taxation of their lands came
into court, and finally resulted in tre
decision before referred to, was first
taken into court, was given to them
in as comprehensive manner as couid
well be done in brief address. 1t ls
hoped that this congress will result N
much good to the Indians. The follow.
ing were the representatives OF the
various Pueblo communities which at
tended the council:
From Acoma Pueblo, Juanico Chino,
governor; Bruce Vaille From Cochltl
Pueblo. Salvador Pecos. governor;
Marcial Quintana, assistant governor;
Santiago Quintana. principal From
Isleta Pueblo Jose Jojola, governor;
Pablo Abeita, assistant governor;
Francisco Jojola. captain; Juan Luce
ro. assistant captain: Jose Chiguigue. |
principal; Juan Jiron, principal; Jose
Felipe Abeita, principal From Lagu-
ma Pueblo. Jose Maria Shawshima,
governor; Toribio Kowuni, assistant