The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-30
BEST INDIANS
NOW INDEPENDENT
POLICY OF NO-WoRK-No-PAY rs
A GOOD ONE.
Commissioner Leupp Is Encouraged
Over the Work Being Done by the
Wards Of the Nation-An Explana-
ton as to the Alleged "Hair- Cut
ting Order.''
By w, w, Jermane,

Washington, Aug. 3o.-"'The best
has to deal are those who have not had
cent IS worth of aid from the federal
treasury is the way Francis E.
Leupp, commissioner of, Indian affairs,
alton Of Indians all over the country.
''Take the Klamath Indians Of Ore
gon,' continued Mr.. Leupp. "They
are as progressive as any on the CONT
nent. They wear the garb of the white
man, have their own small portions of
land, and their homes are as well built
farmer would want to have: That
tribe has never had cent from the
government for support.
cat the other extreme, 50 far as the
adoption of the white mans dress is
concerned, are the Navaios. They are
Indians Ind and single and yet they
their focks of sheep, raise their own
crops and are as fully as independent
as the Klamaths. And with all this,
the Navajos are good fellows-hospit-
able, intelligent and up to the stand,
ard of the whites in all that pertains
to independence. I intend to give
charity, but to improve the breed. In
1895, when this tribe was in sore
straits, it was proposed to give it
$4,000 to tide it over the winter
Some Of the old chiefs wrote me ask
ing me to use my best endeavors to
this, as they did not want to pauper>
1ze and corrupt the young men,
Work-No-R ations Policy.
"How are the policies inaugurated
in recent years working out, the no.
work:no-ration policy, for instance?"
Every well,' was the reply. "Of
He nns Wbo g great be ecEy g
government rations, but they soon
realized that it was a case Of work or
starve. On the Grow reservation, in
Montana, for instance, the Indians are
constructing the finest kind Of irriga-
ton works; one of the most extensive
in the country, and the work they are
performing is as good as could have
been done by white laborers. The
scale on the Cheyenne and Arapahoe
reservation In Oklahoma.
Returned Students.
"Are the returned students having
any effect in elevating the general tone
Of the Indians on the reserVations9"
Everything of that kind depends
upon the student himself. In individ-
ual cases there have been students who
have had the moral courage to with
stand the jeers and sneers Of their fell
lows who have not been to the schools,
and who maintain themselves as they
lacking the necessary backbone and
moral force, have gradually receded to
the level of the other and less progress
sive members of the tribe. In some
instances, where there are a number Of
returned students on a reservation re-
turned Students associations have been
organized.'
Hair-Cutting Order. ..~n. 50.
"What has been the effect of the So
called hair-Seutting order, issued year
or two ago?'' .-
"aBy no word or act Of mine shall
any Indian be compelled to cut his hair.
matter Of cleanliness, but I believe
there are other and more important
things to be done for the Indian than to
compel him to have his long locks
clipped. At some agencies, hair cut
ting was a penalty for misdemeanors
would wait for one of his charges to
get into the calaboose for some infrac-
tion of the regulations, and as penalty
would have the delinquent s hair emf.
This method of bringing about a reform
skas something in the nature of the pen
atty imposed upon youngsters in my
youthful days for small misdoings. The
children would be made to learn a chap
ter in the Bible or hymn. Naturally,
the small boy had loathing for the
good books from that time on and many
Indians look upon hair cutting in the
same light disgrace. There will be
no forced hair cutting while I am com
missioner Of Indian affairs
w. W. Jermane.