The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-12
Build the viaduct.
TEN YEARS OF NEGLECT

uf the Indian schools for the Five
Civilized Tribal governments for al
Dlost eleven years and never having
had his office investigated or checked
up Superintendent Benedict, who
came to this state Chen Indian Ter
ritory) from DanvlIe Illinois, was
uneeremoniously kicked out of the
Job and publicly reproyed.
Without regard 10 Benedict and the
position he filled rather the manner
in which he filled it. no one can deny
the statement of the government, to
effect that the office had not been in
spected for ten years, Is proof Of the
inrnmpeteDcy OF the interior depart.
ment throughout those various years.
Ten years OF sway without so much
as having to make detailed report
to ones chief, means ten years OF
opportunity to do wrong, to neglect
and mistreat the Indian children. II
AR Benedict did no one of these
things or IL he committed all the et'.
rors with which man can he charged
II is not so grave matter as a gov
ernment. processing to be guardian
for The children of a race and appro
priating vast sums Of money for that
races education, admitting il had not
in ten long years made the least ef-
fort to check up that branch of the
department.
lsssit not remarkable that money
was not stolen or thrown away? Is
that the system of business we have
to pay so many millions annually to
support?
Without fear of contradiction II
can be stated the alleged system OF
government which prevailed in the
Indian territory before that division
OF the state was joined TO Oklahoma
was the worst the Anglo-S exon branch
OF the man tribe ever discovered. II
was so bad that those who were senl
there to enforce the laws found tho
task impossible. There was chaos and
woe and woe and chaos and misery q
gnunt visitor all OF the time.
Yet the officials at Washington
kept the red-tspe factory runnlnH
overtime to keep up rules and regula
ticns. and host of people were on
the paw rolls. seeking sustenance Al
the expense az the Indian. who neith
en- wanted or needed the assistance
hat was being bnred into him witt
the aid of.a stfeng United States mar
shal gialling quill
But few hours ride from st Louis
metropolis west of The MISSISSIPPI
river. and the most fertile body ol
lanI in the humid regions west ol
the Mississippi river and south OF
the Missouri. II is rue that lndiai
Territory did not produce sufficient
OF the cereals to feed the people with
ie its borders: 1t did not get enough
Tor iis timbes TO pay the expense o
cutting. and the great fields OF WIG
hay. more beautiful than pen can por
tray. were only used to feed the cal
lie which were herded there on the
plains and al mg the river valleys. -
great was the misrule that II VII
take yesrs OF effort 10 get that Ter
tie section before the world AS u
should be. With coal enough to sur
ply the Southwest for seventy-fivf
years: gas sufficient to conduct th'
motive power and heat the world fpl
n quarter century. oceans OF acres
but waiting TO be titled, with th'
greatest oil output in the world. basi'
materials that It would require 4
column to mention. all these natura
resources. held back because the in
terror department at Washington
knew naught of conditions, save wher
some special friend hit troublesom.
pike and the department had to ge
him out Of the road as fast as posi-
bic. Still some people imagine those
victims of misrule have forgotten
they were the pawns for politlca
iricksters TO play with.