Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-14

TUESDAY, DECENT
and face the world and survive with tn
fittest-I mean. face the Inevitable whit
man whose desire IL to possess tho earth.
Upon whom does this failure rest
Whose is the responsibility
IL the Indian ever capable Of taking his
place among his fellow men with free and
unlimited rights and with the assurance
Of success. or has he been degraded and
dobauched by his white associates or ha'
the government blundered In It's policy
Of governing its ward-robbing him OF
his neutrality-suspicious. him OF rightful
experiences, reducing an independent, self
reliant, self-sustslning people into an in.
competent, declining people7 On this aues.
ton l have studied for several pears, ap-
to the consideration the experiences OF
daily contact under varied conditions and
circumstances Some OF the American peo-
pie who are deeply interested In the In
dian are studying the same problem today
and will demand the answer as the trust
periods for the several tribes draw to their
close. / do not presume to ask for space
in this communication to give you my
views and reasons as to the failure. II
would involve the consideration Of condl-
lions and affairs. the putting into prac-
tice Of theories evolved by an indian office
hundreds OF miles from the scene of action,
who is in a certain sense controlling the
destinies of these people, and whose policy
for the next two years has TO be closely
watched for It will be of vital interest
to the we'll being and life Of these Indians,
who are citizens Of our great state. All
this 1 shall reserve for a later communi-
cation.
indians and whites One.
The solution Of this problem is being
watched with deep and close interest by
the white people OF this portion of the
state for it is an established fact that
the Indians and white people havs become
one community.
In conclusion 1 propose to give you a
few facts for the information of the many
desiring to know something of the Omaha
reservation.
The Omahas owned 1s4,767 acres Of land
situated mostly in Thurston county( and
have a controlling vote) about twenty-five
miles south Of Sioux City. There is only
4.50l acres still unallotted, while there are
667 minors, $40 children having no allot-
ments as yet. There are 1873 Omaha In
dams. Te affairs of the Omahas are
under the supervision and direction of Mr.,
A. @. Pollock, who is superintendent and
disbursing agent, with a force of clerical
help. He has been here only a few months
and like most men filling such positions
his stay is uncertain, owing to the policy
of the government to move these men
about just as their acquaintance with the
work and conditions on a reservation rem
ders them most efficient.
Chaos Due to Conditions.
During the summer and fall affairs were
in a chaotic state owing to the extension
Of the trust period. and the breaking up OF
tribal relations, and the increased respon-
sibility of the holding of some titles by
the Indians, as we'll as to certain investi-
cations carried on by a force of several
inpectors, but Mr.. Pollock has shown
himself Capable and earnest, honest and
trustworthy, energetic and aggressive and
is we'll liked by the indian
The last has an important bearing, for
he has a vast and very important work
ahead Of him for these people, and Mr.,
Valentine, the new commissioner of In
dian affairs, has made a wise choice In
his selection Of the imam on the ground
He took the position surrounded by q
host Of inspectors, whose Investigations
were upsetting affairs considerably on the
reserVation-and left them unsettled for
some time. He has had to meet emergen-
cies. is hampered by restrictive regulations
which have caused delays and resulting
dissatisfaction to the Omahas, but through
it all he has harmqnized adverse interests
and lone we'll by the Indians, giving salts
faction to both white people and Indians
by his straight businesslike methods.
During the summer Mr.. F. H. Abbott
the assistant commissioner OF Indian af-
fairs. visited the reservation and investi-
gated conditions, and we look for a most
progressive and Intelligent support from
the Indian office, as a result, for the bet
terment of the future welfare Of the peo-
pie.
AS he is a citizen of this state ne has
taken this problem Of the Indians very
much to heart.
Critical Time II Now.
7 feel that the critical time has arrived
in the development OF my people and with
the right kind Of administration and with
the honest and unselfish help of the good
people Of this state and the cooperation
of the Indians, the future has some good
things in store for the Omahas.
I know what they can do under given
conditions, but for their welfare, the
proper conditions must be produced.
I nave not prepared this communication
in the spirit Of an agitator, but I feel tho
subject Is vital enough to warrant con-
c1ueive action, and in the settlement ot
these questions I call for the cooperation
Of the white people and the Indians, be-
cause after all we shall be one country and
one people.
Manv NJ them are doing we'll and have
GOOD comfortable homes and they will
cove out ~ their trials hrttNr mon md
women se,f-ro'iaut. independent. self-sis-
ta'ninc as IN the past, n they get the con-