Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1905-11-18
~lACUNA" ANSWERED
BY "SEAMA''
Misrepresentation and InCOn'
Slstent statements Made
by the Former.


hrAMa, ~ NJ, NOV. l0.-An article
headed "strons Words About I.agpna
Indians" IN The Citizen % November
Z. "a too far on to escape wIthoui cor
secilon. ihua giving the public a little
INSIGHT Of the attitude and work %
tho wrllcr.
The writer Of the article has been
placed Al Lnmina BIZ fhe Presbyterian
Missionary society. n q salary. ! be-
fIryG, 81 $1,000 per annum, % Chur.
tisniac the indinna and help the b0os
and needy. OF whom be speaks. The
FOung indians 81 whom Ne wriies 81
going 10 Nuhero and getting drunk,
ara young men who have been moni.
beers Of his church aud congregation
knf 4 long time, one ~ which u irc-
uuentiy called upon ~ on the pulpit
when tho missionary ioes not feel dis
posed 10 STIR ont ffc makes the hold
statement that the high legal anihorl.
tios declare that the Pueblo indiane
are riifscns for the sole purpose OF
ResilnR drunk. and are not even al
lowed 10 vote OF required 10 pay taxes
wonder II his memory u 70 Pior,
that he cannot remember as faf sack
a. the last national election. when the
I.aguna Indians we're not only given
the privilege Of voting, but we're I'm
portunod 10 do 70. However, ah
body. ihey did D9i care TO exercise
this privilege. bat some ~ thqm cast
their votes II the writer Of the arii-
Gle was not aware Of these facts. he
certainly should have aaceriaincd the
truth before making such a bold state
ment and crliicislnE the hlgh legal au.
ihorlties. The same high legal au-
Ice.
ebloa must nay taxes. hnt through the
Kindness toward ne Indiana OF the
honorable commissioner 0f Indian az
fairs. the matter was stood on until
further action by congress. Why not
slate facts ~ they are instead OF
making ofi.hand, unreliable state
n mental
REESE unfortunate youHE Indians
who have. fallen into the hGpt ~
drlnklng. should be helped BY the SYM
patty. Influence and strong arm of me
church and coneregation 20 which they
belong. instead OF exposing and cfitt
uislnK them through the pnbiic press
In another statement. he Gays the
government IL spending thousands 81
dollars IN assisting and educating tho
Indians. but says that the rich Indians
are fed. clothed and educated. and the
poor ana helpless are left TO starve OF
beg. This a another of'hand state
ment without any foundation what
ever. have been In the government
Indian service quite q while myself
and have visited many Indian homes
both rich and poor. and { have failed
20 see a single instance IN which th'
government h overlooking the pooi
and helping the rich instead--assiet
Rnce IL always given the poor ans
helpless wherever possible. feel tina
am far better posted in this line
than the missionary who whlies ave,
the most Of HIS time by his own hfe
side. rarely ever visiting the indiai
families except II be TO drop In for
meal or some other personal benefit
We will give an example. via, A pm
old Indian la one 81 the l.aRuna vi
iRges herded sheep and dla other worl
for years for some OF the members o
the above named congregation. an
finally. he got old blind and helI
Icas, when he was cast aside and az
regarded altogether by lhls orRanlya
tlon. and LEI, 20 che mercy Of an
one who wished 10 help him. 70
quite a while he stayed Ia 4 cold room
without Huiiclent clothing. dependinl
on the little thai Helghhors nigh
bring him TO eat The governmen
aront's attention was called 20 m
fact and assistance was &C once ~
piled Tor and tire old man IA now hat
pily situated IN good home. wei
clothed ana well fed nj the govern
menf'H expense Why should not ~
money paid Into the church lfeaHur
hy the poor Indians be used 10 hei
the blind and helpless, Of whom h
speaks. instead of adding i 10 themlE
ister's salary OF sending Il away 70
thr use OF the general churchP TheH
snomhera are instructed from the pa
pil that Il II their duty 70 give a cel
tain per cent. ! think half, ~ "a
money they have, 70 the church. an
waen they ara received into ~
church they are -eauired 20 promise
ubey the minister and elders. thor'
fore. they think they have TO do ]
The barrels and barrels Of olOthin
which are sent here by the mission
AIRY society for distribution among "a
pobr would 20 a i0ng way tOwar
helping the blind and luibecile q
whom he writes 80 sympatheiicalll
we're they used wholly FOR That pa
pose. Instead ~ being used 10 ~
change for corn. tho use OF horsl
and the ike, nf for ansbody ifol
whom little service can be- goltel
surely, n he we're In sympathy Wit
these poor Indians, be would 20
these available means FOR their benz
ne, and visit the needy aud helpie'
instead Of remaining ~ home an
critieising those who are trying 70 q
something for them- even the seryics
are even conducted hy the Indian
alone 10 be- sure, au invesilgntio
II sadly needed.
The large procession Of canynssln
agents Tor pupils among the t.aNun
indians the past year numbered ~
-FOUR They remained bnt shu
time. That j. not many.
lie also referred 10 atty pupils
the Iuhl pueblo whom the Hupcri
tendent had ready 10 SO away
school and an Inspector appeared a.
told ihom they must not 80 TO on
school. The fact ~ me matter U.s. q
Fifty pupils had been sent ncmo fro
boarding school their Term havll
expired. and &c was desired 10 ba'
them return. ~ a representative vi
sent 10 make a canvass among u
children. but they were not AZ ii
time al ready 20 return ia school,
the article states n Was rumoret ih
an inspector had told some OF the
that u was not compulsory for the