The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-07-15
INDIANS IN POLITICS.

A1A l04aAS1d e11 ~
adapted themselves 10 the white mans
method Of running p campaign that IL
the very first election held In Trip
county. a portion Of the Sioux reserTa-
ton recently opened for settlement,
they beat the whites and elected al
entire ticket except for two white men
whom the Indiana endorsed. And then
in answer 10 the complaints OF irregu-
larities and threats OF the white men
TO secure an injunction preventing the
Indian oficials-elect from assuming
their Offices. the willy Sioux stole an
other march, organized the county.
took the oath Of Office and had every
thing in running order before the
white indictments knew what was up.
II was then too late for the whites
TO take legal steps and the red men
are now in Office and conducting the
affairs OF the county in the most ap-
proved and uptodate names The
Indians are 30 elated over their sue
cess that they hope TO elect the Office
holders in all South Dakota counties
cut from Indian reservations, where
the Indian population IL heavy.
This election was the very first. in
all time. In which the Indians took
~ interest In previous contests the
red met have refused 10 participate.
leaving the voting and ofhoe-holding
TO the whites
Great was the surprise, therefore.
when about a week before the recent
election, a stoiesl red mar stalked
into the auditors Office and filed for
the office Of constable. The name
signed 10 the affidavit was Thomas
c. Bull but the Indians name was
Crazy Bull"
Half an hour later Isaac Bettelyoun,
one Of the best known Indians on the
reserve, fled for the Office Of county
commissioner. Ed Colombo, another
wealthy and influential Indian. also
fled for a cOanmissionership, OF which
there are three.
Before the day Was ove g full In
dian ticket, excepting states attorney,
was in the 6elG. There was not a
single Indian lawyer In the county.
and the Indians endorsed W. .. Back
as. a vel known white lawyer, for
that position.
The white candidates stood aghast
The idea Of the Indians voting was
surprising In itself, but that they
should attempt to elect Indians 10
Office was something entirely Un-
heard ST.
Democrats and republicans alike
were simply paralyzed. Before the
action ~ the Indians. the white candi-
dates haa been up 70 tho rsual polit-
ical tgirl. bs. shay aef confined
their cgort1 a,.ogs he- 10 the white
voters. When they recovered from
their surprise white voters were for
gotten and the Indian vote was gone
after. Dances, barbecues and all
kinds OF celebrations" were quickly
gotten up. and every Indian In the
county attended every IN
But not an Indian would absolutely
promise a white man 20 vote for him.
The red men simply wouldn't talk
politics at all.
II there eve was a 'gum-shoe"
campaign those Indian candidates
waged ne. Never a speaking, mass
meeting nor pow-pow of any kind did
they pull of. but when election day
arrived every Indian in the county
came to the polls and voted. And
they voted 'er straight" too-straight
for the Indians. And the Indian can
didates won out in every case, includ-
ing the white candidates whom the
Indians had Endorsed. Judge Backus.
big Eyes Man." topped the ticket.
junction. The vote was canvassed in
Lyman county, seventy-five miles
away across the Missouri river. The
Indians sent a representative. in an
auto, to this point, and the moment
the certificates of election were issued
this messenger secured them. climbed
into his machine. and racing across
the prairies at top speed. placed them
In the hands Of the Indians early
the next morning.
Then. to prevent any action Of the
whites. the Indians went to an aban-
doned school house, borrowed a table,
. chair. paper and pencil from . set
tier. and got down to work.
Judge Backus, as states attorney.
saw that everything was done in due
legal form. The county was organ
ICED by Commissioners B~ettelyoun and
Colombo. both Indians. Townsites
were declared. = county seat selected,