Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-11
APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT TO
ASSIST INDIANS
Enthusiastic Mass Meeting Is Held
at Blanchard Hall to Espouse
the Cause Of Wards Of
the Nation

Npl ~ NiliNl iidS DGEn dttOIIlDllSIleu ny
the sequoya league in behalf of the In
dlans. That the quantity and class of
people who assembled last evening are
working so energetically with the one
end In view means more for the future
Of poor Lo" than anything which has
been done in this state for years.
1t was a meeting unanimous in its
purpose as was shown by the adoption
Of the resolution which was presented
near its close. 1t was presentation
OF facts, which stated, however, plainly
by the speakers, were intensely tragic
and inspiring to the hearers.
The meeting was called by the Sc
quoya league for the purpose of inter-
esting the people of Los Angeles still
further in the efforts which are being
made to provide suitable accommoda-
tions for the wards of the nation in
Southern California who are now in a
starving condition.
Bishop j. H. Johnson presided and
introduced during the course of the
evening Bishop Conaty, Oscar Lawler
and Charles Lummis. In introducing
Charles Lummis, Bishop Johnson spoke
briefly upon the object of the meeting.
He paid a high tribute to the newly
appointed Indian commissioner, Fran
els e. Luepp.
Mr.. Lummis in the opening of his
speech explained the mission which he
had recently undertaken in visiting
Washington on behalf of the cause
which brought last nights audience
together.
Through the efforts of the people
of this community he said, "the
Campo Indians for the present are
cared for well enough to keep them
from starving. They have had grain
supplied them and / learn from letters
that 1t is all planted. They have
enough clothing and bedding to keep
them warm for several years. These
things as I say have been accomplished
as a result of the charity of the people
of this section. We have kept them
from starving and now we come asking
that the government through congress
give them lands by which they can
make living.
I'VE don't ask for plug hats for them,
but we do ask for them some of the
lands from which they have been
crowded. We don't think that we Of
this section should have to feed those
Indians because the federal govern
ment neglects to do it's duty.
nf
dian affairs we have the first one in
that office who ever knew anything
about Indians when he undertook the
duties of his office. Mr.. Luepp is hu-
man and will make mistakes, but they
will not be mistakes made through ig-
norance and stupidity. He will try
to give the Indians a chance to live.
He Is honest, intelligent and fearless.
He knows what the Indian is up
against-and that Is congress
"There is not treaty we have made
with the Indians fifteen or Ewenty
years old which we have not broken.
l am sure If the government would
neglect these people for ten years more
they would be cared for by the citizens
of this section But that isn't fair to
the government or to the Indians or
to us. We are asking for an appro-
priation of $4,000 for land ON which
these Indians can work. Let us have
place where they can live if they
do work."
Oscar LawIer's Plea
I l,a
unusually forceful in his pictures of the
unfortunate race at our door. He
called to mind the agitation that arose
in behalf of the buffalos and asked that
at least as much interest be taken for
the human beings which the govern
ment has accepted as its wards.
"Of the 5000 acres of land at the
disposal of the Southern California In
dams there is only a mere pittance
susceptible to- cultivation" said the
speaker. $50 these unfortunates have
perhaps not enough land in all to sup
port one ordinary family.
"These people have been thrown upon
the charity of this community because
the people have deprived them of what
rightly belongs to them. 1t is not in
charity that this country should ex-
tend its hands and help them, but in
justice"
Bishop Conaty said in part:
II have felt a personal sincere inter-
est in the work which is being carried
on by this league. 1t is of particular
interest because these Indians are
Christian Indians. l have visited
some of these reservations and it has
been a new study for me. 1 have
learned In this study of the Indians of
Southern California the tremendous
negligence of the people and govern
ment towards these unfortunate wards.
Il have talked with the president of
the United States and 1 know that on
this Indian question he is determined
to get the facts. 1 gave him few
myself. l told him Of the outrages, I
told him of the abuses which have
,crept into the Indian affairs as | had
seen them.