The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-10-17
INDIANS ON A
FLORIDA VISIT
A PARTY OF SEMINOLES FROM
INDIAN TERRITORY - THEY
WILL ENDEAVOR TO INSTRUCT
EVERGLADES TRIBES.

With a view TO educating the Semi
mole Indians Of Florida, party o.
| fifteen men Of the main tribe from
the Indian Territory nave arrived n
| this state, says the Jacksonville Ne
/ tTOpOEs. The teachers are well ed
ucated, having been under the tuitiOa
Of the government for a number O..
| years while living on tIeiT TeseTva-
! ton lands out West. They passed
sOuthW ard a few days ago and were
awaited at convenient points on the
east coast by members Of tne Ever
| glades tribe, who escorted the visit
OTIS to their camps and villages in Jns
big Florida swamp.
Religious Workers
The visiting Indians are reported 70
/ be greatly interested IN religious
work. and their presence among the
Florida Indians Will, no doubt, have =
wide influence on their spiritual train
ing. For years d number Of mis-
sionaTies have worked among the
Everglades Seminoles, hut their ef-
forts have been of but little avail, On
account Of the difficulties Of the lang
Uage and the natural suspicious OF
/ the Indians Not that they are IN
friendly with the white, but in the
many years in which they have been
trading and assOciatiug WITH the white
race. they have never entirely over
come their Teticence and reserve n
accepting advice or instructions.
An intellectual Tribe.
Despite the fact that the Florida
SeminoIes have not received as muca
education and attention as the other
tribes of the United States, they nave
shown remarkable Intelligence and
have made excellent progress in va
rious ways. In fact, at the presen-
time it is doubtful if any tribe IN the
country is as independent and seH-
supporting as the small SatherlhS
which has lived in the Everglades
since 1910. When the government aU-
fthorities resolved TO tsi1s the Indians
| from Florida to the wide plains OF the
West, and under the leadership OF
one of their most influential chiefs
returned 70 the wilds OF the gre2.
( swami. there were many who believed
thar the Indians would continue their
warfare But such opinions proved
| false. and with the realization th%L
residence in their native land depend
ed upon peacefuiness, the Indians ne
came docile.
Are Really Outlaws.
In reality. the Florida SemlnoIeS
are outlaws. Il is said that the gov
eminent has never received oulcial
information that the SeminOles are III
Florida. and that the records IN WASH
| ington show that the whole tribe was
removed to the Indian Territory De
tween 1910 and 1912. For TINS reason
l the Everglades tribe las been living
| without law or restrictions of the
( White man. and so we'll nave they
| conducted themselves that they enJOy
| the friendship and esteem Of all WnlJc
! residents of the southern part OF th5
state.
| The work of the visiting Indians
will he watched closely by many
white peODle who are closely asSocla g.
ed with the Seminoles Of this state,
The Florida red men have enjoyed
such an idle and easy life, having al
| their command all the needs and ad-
,-,,,+ages of true children of nature,
| If is believed that they Will refuse any
attempt at instruction which nlghI
/ cause them to take up the more siren
mons life Of the educated races. my
/ now hunt and fish. and IN rev n
/ stances have small farms ana gar
dens They own hogs and chickens
and in many other ways JhelI mt
and vocations are similar 10 JhOse Ol
the white races. Inc women Ia :
sewing machines and are pToLCI IN
I in using them. but the majority OF the
tribe show no inclination to be more
| like white people. What they VIII
/ do under the instruction ano tull'oLl =.
| choir more educated tTIDeSmen lFOAl
/ the great west remains TO De seen.
| the venture or endeavOr OF the
Visiting indians will form an I'M
n lTsi chapter in the life Of the
Everglades tribe, and the results viii
! efford matter of study for those who
have followed the lives of the Florida
Indians for years