The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-01-30
WORK AND MORE WORK.
Continued from page one.)

who by no means lacks natural shrewd.
ness, cannot easily be convinced that g
cross made by another man on q piece
of paper, in even the drawing of which
he has himself taken no part, is his ac'
in any binding sense. But 1t Is easy tt
see, in every gathering where Indians
are called upon to impress their thumb
prints opposite their written names
| that they understand that here is some
thing which commits them, and thai
there is no escape from the effect of q
mark actually made by them and capa-
BILE of comparison with another mark
| similarly made at a. later date. All
eminent Jurist once said of the oath
administered in law courts to litigants
and witnesses, that 1t is not designed
so much to call the attention of the
Deity to the act of his creature as it is
to call the attention Of the creature to
| the fact that there is Deity who will
judge him. So with the thumb print
the mere possibility of it's use as a
means of identification by officers Of
the Government in disputed cases Is
not more important, after all, than the
reminder it conveys to the Indian that
he Is taking upon himself certain obli-
cations which he can not lightly throw
off
To Inspector Mclaughlin belongs tie
credit of having made the first expert
ments with thumb-print signatures,
says the Commissioner. He was select
ed for that purpose because of his
knowledge of the Indian character and
the assurance that he would impress
the solemnity of such attestations upon
the Indians in a dignified way. Now
that he has demonstrated the wisdom
of the idea, the Commissioner hopes to
have other inspecting officers extend
its application till it becomes substan-
tally universal, or till the percentage
of Indians who can read and write be-
comes equal 10 the corresponding pro-
portion among our white population.
Employment has been obtained for
Indians on ranches, farms and rail-
roads and at any other occupation for
which they We're qualified. Such steady
employment as wage-earners and con-
tact with the world outside of reser-
walton not only bring to the Indians
money returns for their labor, but also
develop self-reliance and capacity
for looking after their own Individual
and family interests 1t is considered
a wise policy to exercise no direct
supervision over Indians who can
manage their own affairs and find en-
ployment for themselves. even if some
times less favorable results are obtain
ed. for the best thing for them is to
workers and thus acquire the faculty of
initiative, and the demand for Indian
laborers has far exceeded the supply
Where Indians Work.
The work of controlling the inflow
of the Colorado River to the Salton Sea
was undertaken in July, 1906. with
Mexican and other labor; but by the
lst of August the company was glad
to make arrangements to employ In
dian labor, as in that climate no other
certain supply could be procured or
kept. This work continued through
the year and furnished employment to
not less than 100 Indians, mostly Pr
mas and Papagos. Their pay was
s1.921s per day of ten hours for ordi-
nary labor, and 81, or even s225, for
those showing any skill. Their COM
missary deductions were small as they
received their wages in money every
week and usually paid cash for whatever
they bought The Indians had their fam
lilies with them, could board themselves
at low cost, were given free transport
tation both ways for themselves and
families, and suffered no hospital de-
auctions From August. 1906, through
May, 1907. their gross earnings
amounted to $115,784.44, and after de-
Quoting the small commissary charses
ETC., the net remainder was 107,4O4.64.
In October, as the work at the SaIton
Sea intake apparently neared compile
ton, work was found for the Indians
on the Government dam at Yuma. But
a break in the Salton Sea levee again
created an urgent demand for all avail
able Indian laborers. and, as the wages
there were better and the general con-
ditions more satisfactory, the Indians
preferred to remain. Therefore only
about 100 went to work at the Govern
ment dam. Their gross earnings from
October 81 to December 26 amounted
to $3,325. Their work, as a rule, was
satisfactory, and many more were
wanted than could be furnished
From so to 125 Indians also worked
about four months as laborers and
teamsters on the Colorado River near
Yuma, receiving $1.75 and 81 a day.
On the Roosevelt dam north of Phoe-
nix, AriZ., Indians have been constantly
engaged in road work under an Indian
foreman, and few have been employ
ed as mechanics and on the cement
work The number has averaged so,
and the wages have ranged from 81 80
20 $3.50 day.
On the st. Mary's Canal on the
Blackfeet Reservation in Montana from
100 to 225 Indians worked with their
teams for several months. They were
paid $1.25 and So day as mere labor
ers and $3.50 and IS day for man
and team.
Companies of Indians, mainly Hops,
Mohaves, Navahos, and Pueblos, vary
'ng from 48 in April to 21O in July,
we're kept at work on the Santa F'e
Railroad until Feb. ~, when their
services were discontinued on account
IF retrenchment by the railroad COM
pany. They were employed mostly in
yangs, doing repair work and ballast
ing on the lines west of Albuquerque.
From April, 1906, through February,
1907, their gross earnings We're $685.
101.61, of which they saved more than
~ per cent.
Farmers, Too.
In the beet fields '404 Indians were
employed last year during the thin
ming season and 62 during the Fall
harvesting. For the thinning season
this year 604 were employed 493 be-
ing schoolboys and III coming from
the Hopi, Navajo, Pueblo, ana Apache
reservations. Their gross earnings
to $4,000, from which So
900 was paid for transportation and
$4,000 for board and clothing and ad-
vances in cash, ana the remaining
$4,000 was paid to the Indians in
money when they started home, or was
sent to the school superintendent in
trust for the schoolboys. Probably 100
or more Indians will be wanted fer the
Fall work. The beet work around
ROCKY Ford, Colo, this season has been
very satisfactory both to the Indians
and the beet growers, the Indians be-
ing well pleased with their earnings and