The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-05-04

dian intelligence once TO riha
Work And Markets For Products OF
the Indians Labor.
WASHINGTON, May s,-~Franeis +,
.sunn. United states Commissioner
of Indian affairs. has conceived dar-
ing plan that may cause numerous
uprising all over the Western Plains.
He has issued an eiict that all able
bodied Indians must so TO work, To
carry out this order he has erected a
new division which viii be known as
the Indian Intelligence Office" To
this new branch of the service viii be
entrusted the duty of finding work for
the Indians; 1t win at the same time
drum up trade for the products of the
various tribes, Commissioners LeuppI
has old fashioned ideas about Indians.
He believes they should work the same
as other people.
Some months ago Commissioner
Ieupp attended council OF the White
River utes OF Utah. The Indians We're
highly indignant over the action OF
the government in taking over their
reservation lands for purposes Of set
tlement by whites. A sufficient area
was left for the Utes TO cultivate.
But the Utes are blanket Indians. and
they wanted to Ash and hunt and
roam at will Commissioner Leupp
fatty told the Utes that the days OF
idleness had passed, that the indian
would have to follow in the pathway
OF the whites, and go to work for a
living.
A little later word came that the
Utes had pulled up the stakes of their
tepees and gathering their women and
children about them had started out
upon an expedition. At first II was
believed the Indians were on the war;
path, and United States troops We're
ordered out. It soon became apparent
| that the Indians were not embarking
upon a marauiing expedition. They
merely became indignant at the sug-
gestion tnat they should go to work
and to relieve their wounded feelings
had left their reservation on a visit
to the Sioux Of South Dakota. After
while the Utes cooled off and were
persuaded to send delegation to see
the Great White Father in Washing
ton. President Roosevelt was posted,
and he made up his mind to tell the
Indians that the time had come when
they would have to go to work for a
living like white folks. In the White
House two or three brawny secret SER
vice men were sent to the Presidents
office the day the Utes were scheduled
to appear there. Mr.. Roosevelt spoke
his piece. The Indians received the
sad news like warriors of old. Recent
advices from the Ute reservation are
to the effect that the reds are getting
to be on speaking terms with day la
Dor.
The Federal officials say that plenty
Of employment can be found for In
dams, and that In most cases the In
dians who are put to work perform
fairly we'll The Indian makes as good
; laborer as the average Mexican. He
is, perhaps, a trlfie more erratic. He
, is more liable to leave without notice
When pay day comes ne longs for a
brief respite from his labors and gen.
orally takes it. He stays away as long
as his money holds out. Otherwise
he does fairly well. In the construc-
/ tion of irrigation works in the West
the government has shown a prefer
/ ence for Indian labor.
Where Indians have secured farms
through the allotment of lands they
viii be encouraged to work their owr
! homesteads. Many Indians are rails
ing good crops. AS they have little
t experience they find 1t difficult to FIND
market for their products. Govern.
t ment agents will be in the field to fiji
this gap. These agents will secure in,
= formation as to the best markets fo
t the kind Of products raised by Indiani
t in different sections and then superin
tend the delivering of sucn products
They will also see that the Indians ar,
given square deal in their busines
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