The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-04

Opposition Of serious nature
threatens the Crow Indian reservation
segregation bill which passed the
lower house of congress a short time
ago by an overwhelming vote. The
measure is now pending in the senate
and assurance was given by Senator
Gibson of this state that the Grow
bill would have rather smooth sail
ing in that body. But unexpected
opposition has developed in Wash
ington and unless this opposition is
withdrawn it is by no means certain
that the Dixon measure to segregate
the northern part of the Crow reser.
walton will become a law.
The Gazette received letter from
| Congressman Joe Dixon a few days
ago in which that gentleman says:
Opposition Of Indian Rights Associa.
ton.
Il find some opposition developing
here to the Grow bin by the Indian
Rights association, which I understand
has been presented to the president.
am going to see the president my
self in reference to the matter. The
Indian Rights association has also at
tackled the Rosebud bill, which pro-
vides for the opening of part of the
Sioux reservation in South Dakota.
They want competitive bids filed for
each homestead entry, which is an
absurdity."
See Only One Side.
1t is we'll known that among the
members of the Indian Rights asso-
citation President Roosevelt numbers
some of his most intimate personal
and political friends. The association
is powerful organization in the
states bordering on the Atlantic sea.
board and has supporters among SEN
ators and representatives in congress.
The association as a whole takes but
one view of the Indian question and
that view is always in favor of the
Indian. They see only through glasses
favorable to the Indian and always
look with suspicion on anything fav-
ored by western people seeking the
reduction of Indian holdings. To the
minds of many members of the In
diam Rights association, who have
never been On an Indian reservation
west Of the Mississippi river, western
people located adjacent to territory
held by Indians are looked upon as
pilferers of Indian property and dis
honest in a.4 their dealings with the
Indian. No far western man who has
had official dealings with the Indians
in the west IS secure from attack from
many of the influential members OF
this eastern association banded to-
gether to defend the Indian, whether
the contention is right or wrong. TO !
many members of the association the
idea prevails that there is no citizen
in the west living adjacent to In
dian reservations who is not absolute
" dishonest in all his dealings with
the red man, and no amount of argu-
ment or proof to the contrary will
change their opinion of these people.
Source Of Information.
Naturally many people of the west
wonder where the members of the
indian Rights association secure in
formation upon which to form such
poor opinion of the white settlers
ocated in the country adjacent to the
indian reservations of the west. That
s easily explained.
Upon every Indian reservation in
he west is located one or more per-
ons in semi-official capacity and
Identified with the Indian Rights asso-
;iation. These people are sometimes
representative of church
organizations i'm the east. At other
lines they are people who hold their
light to be on the reservation by
'eason of the licensed leadership
granted through the Indian bureau at
Realizing that the In