The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-25

have of their allotted lands and of
other land which belonged to the
tribes about $4,000 acres. much more
than they could use. That the opening
OF this part OF the reservation would
bring closer Ia contact with them. the
white men who would teach them how
to farm as the white men farm. who
would put out trees build schools,
churches, houses. barns, and while the
white men improved their lands, they
would, at the same time. be improving
and bringing up the value OF the In
dian lands. That this money that they
would receive from the government
in the way OF interest would give them
money enough to improve their homes,
to put floors in their houses and shin
giles on their roofs, to put more win
dows in 50 as to have better ventila-
ton, and In that way tIlsir health
would improve and instead Of receiv-
ing, as they do now, only about $11 q
year for each one, they would receive
in the neighborhood OF 80 or $50 a
piece. That 1t would. also, give them
some money to improve their stock OF
cattle and horses, which were not
what they should be. After I had
finished speaking along the lines in
dicated. 3. A. V0'cl,i,-eS,a president of
commercial club at Ryder and H. j.
Linde, president of commercial club at
Plaza, both made fine addresses and
after them the next speaker was the
Indian chief, Wounded Face, who
spoke for the Mandans. He came mp
in the front OF the hall and shook
hands first with Mr.. Abbott, then Mr..
Francis and myself, and in fact, every
speaker for the Indians did the same.
/ wish that might have the power to
tell you in language strong enough, OF
the impression which this Indian chief
made upon me. He spoke with such
earnestness, with such power. his
gestures. everything about him, prov
ed to me that he was born orator OF
a dying race. He had been badly
wounded In the face by the bullet OF
a Sioux Indian many years ago, but in
spite Of that, he had strong coun-
tenance and one which could not help
but attract. He went back TO the
memories OF his early days and told
Of the relations OF the Mandan In
dams with the white people. He said
that they had always been at peace
with the white men and that they had
always endeavored to be just ane sair
and to do what was right. He told of
some OF their struggles. He pleaded
that justice might be done to the peo-
pie whom he represented He said
that most of the Indians of nis tribe,
as well as those Of the eros Ventres
and Rees had taken up land under
their allotments In the broken country
of the reservation along the river. That
under the agreement which mad been
made with them some time past, that
the kind of land which the Indians had
taken was not enough, should the rest
OF the reservation be opened, to sup
port them and that the Indians felt
that IL the reservation were opened
that they should be allowed, before it
was done, additional land in the way
OF aHotments. That they should be
given, in addition to the land which
they had already taken, 800 acres of
pasture land or 100 acres of agricul-
turaI land. All the way through his
speech it was tempered only with the
thought as to what was best to be
done for his people, and also, with the
thought that justice would be done
with them by reason of the fact that
in all the years, that they mad been
friendly to the white men. The speech
OF Wounded Face was followed by one
from Old Dog and then Sitting Bear.
They were all along the same lines.
This was followed by general discus
sion in a kind Of debate as to what
was best for all parties. AS the even
ing drew on, the Indians requested
that the meeting should be continued
the next day and that they, during the
night, would hold q council among
themselves for the purpose of con-
sidering the matter further. This was
done. Upon re-convening the council
the next day, it was found that the
Indians had left their matters largely
to a committee OF the younger men OF
each tribe, most of whom spoke Eng |
Iish and who mad been educated at |
Carlisle. This committee was COM
posed OF the following: Gros ventres, |
Bulls Eye, "A. Stevens, Tom Smith, |
Joe Pakinaw, and Frank Pakinaw; for |
the Rees, Byron Wilde, Pete Boshon |
and Drags Wolf; for the Mandans. |
Lewis Baker. James Baker, Ben Ben I
son and Arthur Mandan. They were |
a very intelligent committee, knew I
exactly what they wanted and express |
ed themselves fully and courteously. |
1t was finally agreed upon the part OF
the commission and the Indians that |
the land north and east of the river |
should be opened except that part /
which had been taken IN allotments |
or which should be allotted to them
in certain townships under the new
allotments which 1t was agreed that |
they should have in addition to the |
allotments which they had already |
received. This will make about 300,- |
900 acres that will be opened up. Most
of these new allotments. however, will
be taken up west and south of the
river. Throughout the whole confer
ence the utmost respect and courtesy
was SHOWN to the white visitors by the
red men; beginning their speeches