Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-11-11
"LAGUNA' ANSWERED
BY "SEAMA'
Misrepresentation and lnCOn.
SiStent Statements Made
by the Former.
SEAMA APPEARS AS A FRIEND
To The Evening Citizen.

To The Evening Citizen.
Seama, n. NJ, Nov. 1O.-An article
headed Strong Words About Laguna
Indians" in The Citizen of November
4. is too far off to escape without cor
r%ection, thus giving the public a little
insight Of the attitude and work of
the writer.
The writer of the article has been
placed at Laguna by the Presbyterian
Missionary society, at a salary, | be-
lieve, of $1,000 per annum, to Chris
tianize the Indians and help the poor
and needy, of whom he speaks. The
young Indians of whom he writes as
going to Cubero and getting drunk,
are young men who have been mem
bers of mis- church and congregation
for a long time, one of which is FIRE.
quently called upon to fill the pulpit
when the missionary does not feel dis
posed to stir out. He makes the bold
statement that the high legal authori-
ties declare that the Pueblo Indians
are citizens for the sole purpose of
getting drunk, and are not even al
lowed to vote or required to pay taxes.
| wonder if his memory is so short
that he cannot remember as far back
as the last national election, when the
Iaguna Indians were not only given
the privilege of voting, but were i'm
portuned to do so. However, as a
body, they did not care to exercise
this privilege, but some of them cast
their votes. If the writer of the arti-
Gle was not aware of these facts, he
certainly should have ascertained the
truth before making such a bold state
ment and criticising the high legal au-
thorities. The same high legal au-
thorities decided also, that the Pu-
eblos must pay taxes, but through the
kindness toward the Indians OF the
honorable commissioner of Indian af-
fairs, the matter was stood off until
further action by congress. Why not
state facts as they are, instead Of
making off-hand, unreliable state
ments?
These unfortunate young Indians
who have fallen into the habit Of
drinking, should be helped by the SYM
patty, influence and strong arm of the
church and congregation to which they
belong, instead of exposing and criti-
cising them through the public press.
In another statement, he says the
government is spending thousands of
dollars in assisting and educating the
Indians, but says that the rich Indians
are fed, clothed and educated. and the
poor and helpless are left to starye or
beg. This Is another off-hand state
ment, without any foundation what
ever. ! have been in the government
Indian service quite a while myself,
and have visited many Indian homc-
both rich and poor, and / have failed
10 see a single instance In which the
government is overlooking the poor
and helping the rich instead-assist.
ance is always given the poor and
helpless wherever possible. ! feel that
! am far better posted in this line
than the missionary who whites away
the most of his time by his own fire.
side, rarely ever visiting the Indian
families except IL be TO drop in for a
meal, or some other personal benefit.
We will give an example. viz: A poor
old indian in one of the Laguna vii
lagos herded sheep and did other work
Tor years for some of the members OF
the above named congregation, and
finally, he got old, blind and help
less, when he was cast aside and dis
regarded altogether by this Organiza-
ton, and left to the mercy of any
n who wished 10 help him. For
quite a while he stayed in a cold room
without sufficient clothing. depending
on the little that neighbOrs might
bring him to eat. The government
agents attention was called 10 the
fact and assistance was az once app
piled for and the old man is now hap
PLY situated in a good home, well
clothed and well fed, at The govern
ment's expense, Why should not the
money paid into the church treasury
by the poor Indians be used 10 help
the blind and helpless, of whom he
speaks, instead of adding it to the min
listers salary OF sending H. away for
the use of the general church? These
members are instructed from the pull
pit that it is their duty TO give a GER
tain per cent, 1 think half, of the
money they have, to the church, and