The Nome nugget. (Nome, Alaska) 1901-1904, 1904-03-16
Interesting Talks Last
Sunday Night
WORK BEING DONE
Hugh j. Lee, of Wales, Tells of
the Manner of Treating
Greenland ESkimOS.

The remarks made at the CongreSa-
tional church last Sunday by Captain
Peter Bayne and Hugh j. Lee on the
Eskimo problem were listeaed to with
interest By large audience.
Captain Bayne told of the work at
Quartz creek, where he has been in
charge since January ;. He said that
the natives had been quite fortunate in
capturing seals during the last two
months, and that over $50 had been
gathered in thus far
He told of the work the natives have
been doing in the way of gathering
drift wood. There are hundreds OF
cords of it in piles ready to be hauled
to Nome markets. and a lot of good
wood has been collected on the shore OF
Sledge island, ready to be hoated to
mainland in the spring, as the ice is
not strong enough for shedding with
horses this winter.
The captain told of the need of more
bedding, stoves, good food and simple
medical remedies at his station. He
believes that the mission can be made
self-supporting without any great out
lay, and he said he believed it to be
the duty of the federal authorities here
to take a hand in the matter.
Mr. Lee, who followed Captain Bayne,
began his remarks with a brief
statement of what the government has
done for the natives thus far. He ex-
planned briefly the results of introduce
ing domestic reindeer into the country
and showed that the plan is a most ex-
cellent one, with the single drawback
that it will take so long for the general
mass of the natives to get the benefit.
He stated that the Department OF In
terror was taking an active interest in
the Eskimo problem, and that special
agent was appointed last summer to in
vestigate the condition and needs OF
the natives, and that something would
doubtless be done in the near future.
He then spoke of the Eskimo OF
Greenland and showed how the Danish
government has cared for its wards by
providing them with all kinds of goods
at the lowest possible cost, and by pay
ing the highest market prices for the
products of their country. No private
corporations or persons are allowed to
trade there and so the government is
enabled to insure the natives good
treatment.
The natives of Danish Greenland
have been taught to read and write
their own language. They have books
and newspapers in their own language,
printed in native printing offices.
In some settlements there are factor
les for the manufacture of barrels, ETC.,
for shipping whale and seal oil to the
outside, and the natives are self-respect-
ing and clean in their personal appear
ance and in their homes.
The government of Denmark has for
hidden the taking of an Eskimo from
the island of Greenland and Mr.. Lee
says that the habit of taking natives Of
Alaska to the outside is ruination to
the natives who go out for they are for
ever untitled to live in the style or on
the diet that they can obtain here. He
said that the Department of Interior
makes big mistake in taking Eskimo
children to the Carlisle Indian school,
for the school should be brought to the
Eskimo here instead.
Mr.. Lee also told Of the law which
forbids the landing of anyone on the
shore of Greenland without a permit,
and the law against any native woman
going on board any ship, also the law
that any white man who marries a ma
tive woman becomes an exile from his
native land, for he will not be allowed
to desert his wife and he cannot take
her back to Denmark with him.
MIR. Lee said of course the L. $. Gov
eminent could not make laws like all of
these for the constitutions of the two
countries are SO different that the laws