The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-07-05
WIDE AWAKE RED men
THE EFFECTS OF CIVILIZATION
IN INDIAN RESERVATIONS.
Sioux Indians Whirl into Town in
Automobiles. Some progress"
Made in Line of Divorces.

How can it be said that the Indians
are not becoming civilized? Even If
they have a habit of celebrating their
feasts with fat dogs or wolves as the
piece de resistance, even If they are
taking advantage of the recent ruling
of the supreme court to absorb the out
put of several breweries, Impressive
evidence that they are taking on the
WAYS of the white men is to be found
In the reports of assessors who while
going over the Rosebud and Cheyenne
River reservations took occasion to list
the property of the Indians, says spe-
cial dispatch from Chamberlain, S. D.,
to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
These reports show the following
luxuries are possessed by the Sioux
| Indians of these two reservations:
Three hundred and twenty tele-
| phones.
| Eighteen automobiles.
Nine hearses used as carriages).
Twenty eight pianos.
Sixty organs.
Add to these the fOrty-seven divorces
secured by Indians in the past year in
the courts of Chamberlain and OacO-
ma. and it cannot be denied that the
naughty Sioux who a few years ago
were the terror of settlers and even
soldiers have become apt pupils of the
white man.
1t is only recently that the rural tele-
;,,J,,c+ry- hoe paoohn5 ont IN tn q
red men. Most Of the instruments are
10 be found on the Cheyenne River res
ervation. for a line has been run west
from Pierre Barbed wire is employed
as conductor, and the lines serve all
the big ranches in the country west of
Pierre. The Cheyennes were greatly
interested in the building of the tele-
phones, and when they found out that
they could talk through space they
were wild to secure instruments for
themselves. AS they are excellent Gus
toners, due to their lavish manner Of
spending money, they were promptly
accommodated by the company. Now
if the ranchmen find the line busy it is
usually buzzing with gossip in the orig
inal Sioux tongue
Last summer when the Rosebud res
ervation was thrown open for settle
Iment visitors at BOnesteel were amazed
to see Sioux Indians whirl into the
town in family automobiles, SquaW in
the front seat and red skinned young
sters in the rear One enterprising red
Black Cloud, made q handsome sum
hauling prospective settlers about the
reservation in his automobile. These
machines have from the first appealed
to the Indians They have veritable
passion for machines painted in bright
colors. Often when they have received
$1,000 or more for allotted lands Indi-
ans will go to Omaha or Sioux City,
see a striking automobile and spend
their entire fortune for one like it.
Hollow Horn Bear, a leading tribes
man on the YanktOn reservation, went
to Washington in March to attend the
Inauguration Of President Roosevelt.
He came back with big machine. and
the pompOus manner in which he dis
played his new possession to the others
caused such Il furore that the agency
had TO take a hand to restore order
The same love of display on the part
of the Indian leads them to make some
| remarkable purchases. A few days ago
a big Indian from the Rosebud reserVa-
ton, Shouting Horn, went to Yankton
to buy a family carriage. The dealer
he visited showed him every vehicle in
his house, but the Indian was not i'm
pressed. He went out disappointed
Just at that moment an undertaken
was passing on his hearse. With a
grunt of admiration the buck ran out
into the street and stopped the driver.
How much?" he inquired pointing
! grandiloquently to the high polished
black wood and waving plumes. The
undertaken, John Hanley. laughed at
first, but when he found the red man
was in earnest made him an Outra-
geous price. The Indian produced the
money, craWled on to the seat and
! drove back to his reservation. the
! prOudest Indian in the west
If the Indians continue developing
! the divorce fad as they have done in
! the last two years Sioux Falls will be
displaced as the divorce center of the
| United States. In the past year for
| ty-seven divorce DEGREES were issued
! there and at Oacnma, a gain of seven
teen over the last year. County Attor-
| ney Dartos favorS some sort of legis-
| lation restricting the Indian Divorces.
! In a measure. however, the divorce is
teaching the Indians that marriage
! bonds are somewhat binding.
| TEXAS GETS FIRST RAJE.