The Topeka state journal., 1905-06-13

ton. a lady of wide culture and intelii-
gence and one who sought above all to
be helpful in her day and generation
Mrs. Quintan was born in New York
state Of Maydower ancestry.
Miss Bonney begged Mrs. Quinton to
take up with her a work for the Indian,
hoping that some way and somehow
they two might start a movement which
at length should spread over all Amer
lea. From that day to this, now twen-
ty-six years, Amelia Stone Quinton has
wrought single hearted in some places
almost single handed, for making a
good Indian out of the live Indian. No
movement ever started IN our country
has had a grander outcome than this
one of the women
Miss Bonney and Mrs. Quinton began
quite alone. Mrs. Quintons first move
was to draft a petition to the president
and congress. It was short and to the
point. It most earnestly requested the
president and congress to take needful
steps to prevent the encroachment Of
white settlers upon Indian territory and
to guard the Indians in the enjoyment
+ of all the rights guaranteed to them on
the faith of the nation"
The two ladies printed the petition
and circulated it in fifteen states. In Feb
ruary. 1880, the list of signatures was
500 feet long. and the petition was pre-
sented to President Hayes. Judge Kelly
of Pennsylvania introduced it in the
house of representatives. Immediately
following this the ladies' began cireulat-
ing another petition of like intent. Four
other ladies meantime Joined them, and
to their second petition were affixed
$4,000 signatures. Henry L. Dawes in a
powerful speech presented this second
petition to the senate.
In December. 1885, the women estab-
lished their first formal organization
Mrs. Quinton being made organizer and
secretary. Mrs. Quinton was and is a
clear, persuasive speaker, enlisting at
once the sympathy of an audience with
any cause she presents In March, 1881,
the faithful and energetic workers for
the red man adopted the name Indian
Treaty Keeping and Protective associa-
ton. The name OF National Indian as
sociation was adopted later, when the
work of the women covered forty states
and numbered many affiliated societies.
During 1881 Mrs Quinton prepared
her third congressional petition. She
wrote letters by the hundred; she criss-
crossed the continent in journeyings,
circulating her petition and in public
addresses rousing interest in her cause.
It was in this third petition that con-
schools for Indian youth and to grant
$50 acres of land in severalty to any IN
dian who desired it. Lest the white men
should succeed speedily in getting his
farm away from the unsophisticated red
man the petition asked that this land
allotment be made inalienable during a
period of twenty years.
One hundred thousand names were
signed to this third petition, presented
with memorial letter to congress in
February, 1882. Thus the women of the
National Indian association actually, as
Senator Dawes declared originated and
laid before the United States govern
ment a new Indian policy. The pro-
gramne included also universal com
mon school education and white mans
laws and citizenship for Indians.
The Indian seyeralty law was passed
in 1887. The two great industrial govern
ment schools for Indian youth at Hamp-
ton, Va, and Carlisle. Pa, are now at
tended by nearly 2.0O0 pupils. The most
careless and superficial observer may
here read what can be accomplished
through peaceful and persistent agita-