Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-11-21
JEMEz CHIEF TO
VISIT PRESIDENT
Called on Governor
Enroute to WASH
ington.
uAc MAuv nDIruAunrc
HAS MANY GRIEVANCES
Wants Land Restored and
Ceremonials Protected.
Cane From Lincoln.

Carrying heavy leather grip. con
tanning good sized sum of money
and wearing royal purple in the shape
of brilliant blanket of that hue
Chief Jose Romero, head of the five
hundred Jemez Indians, arrived at the
Capitol today from the pueblo in San
doval County and asked to see Gov
ernor Hagerman. With him were
Jose Rey Chinnana, eX.chef of the
pueblo; Jose Rey Chiurivi, interpre
ter; Juan Antonio Sabiquiu, captain
of war Before going to the Capitol
the Indians asked Superintendent
Clinton J Crandall of the United
States Indian Training School and
their attorney. Judge A, j. Abbott, to
go with them.
Silver Headed Cane From Abraham
Lincoln.
AS a further mark of distinction
Chief Romero held in his hand bat.
tered silver headed cane which he
proudly said was presented to him by
the Great White Chief, the late Pres.
ident Abraham Lincoln.
"Buenos dias, Senor," said the del.
egation of red men as Governor Hag.
erman admitted them to his private
office. Through their Interpreter they
then proceeded to tell Governor Hag.
erman their long list of grievances.
They stated that they were en- route
to Washington, where they expect to
take up their troubles with President
Roosevelt.
During the interview. Chief Romero
clutched tightly, the big leather grip
and tapping it with his finger said
This is the money from my people
to pay for the long journey to the big
pueblo"
He would not release his hold of
the satchel for a single minute fear.
ing that something would happen to
1t and when he shook hands with the
Governor. he shifted it from one hand
to the other.
Pale Faces Not Welcome at Sacred
Dances.
Briefly told, Chief Romero will ask
the President and the officials of the
Indian Bureau, providing he gets to
see them, that the religious cere-
monies of his people be declared
sacred and that no pale face be al.
lowed TO witness them or interfere
with the ancient tribal customs.
In the past, he explained. that on
many occasions the Indians had been
greatly annoyed by the white people.
who came out of curiosity, to witness
the dances and other ceremonials.
The chief plea. however, which the
Indian leader has to make, is that
over 100 years ago, the Spaniards
made a grant of thousands of acres of
land to his tribe. Gradually this land
has been taken up by settlers and
livestock men until the Indians have
only about 1900 acres left. This is all
the federal government reserves for
them The Jemez people want the
land returned to them They do not
appear to understand mat they have
no legal right to the land and that
they have little or no evidence beyond
the tradition of their old men, to bear
out their claims.
Governor Tried to Explain Situation
to Them.
Governor Hagerman talked to the
Indians for some little time and tried
to explain the status of land affairs
in the Territory. However. he did
not succeed in convincing the Indians
that their mission, to great extent
was a hopeless one.
Chief Is Venerable, Dignified anc
Well Spoken.
Chief Romero is a venerable look
ing old brave, polite and we'll spoken
He carries himself with the dignity
becoming his Office and persists that
he will not stop short of the Presi
dents Office in the White House, In
his efforts to have the wrongs of his
people righted.
The Jemez Indians are tribe Sc
parate and distinct from the Other
Pueblo Indians. They are more in
telligent and thrifty but cling ever
more tenaciously to their ancient Ger
emonials and beliefs. They have al
ways been friendly to the whites.
People Once saved Spanish Gov
ernor at Santa Fe.
In the days when the Spaniards
held New Mexico, the Jemez were
known as the Pecos tribe. 1t was one
of their number who in 1880 reached
the city of Santa Fe, then the seat Of
government, after great difficulties
and dangers, and by his timely warn
ing of the impending uprising among
the Indians, saved the lives of the
Spanish Governor and his people.
"We are entitled to justice" sale
Chief Romero, "and | believe the bis
white governor will give it to us"