The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-04-01
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF
INDIANS TO MEET IN JUNE

Muskogee, okla, Mar. 26.--An In
temational Congress of Indians, in an
Indian Country, given for Indians and
largely by Indians, at which It is hop
| ed TO assemble every Indian chief,
and his cabinet of head men, in the
United States, and some from Mexico
and Canada, win be held in Muskogee-
Okla, beginning ON the 9th day of
June, and ending on the night of the
Fourth of July with a blaze OF Glory,
and Teddy Roosevelt.
This plan was developed today when
the commercial club addressed letters
to the Indian chiefs of the Five Civil.
lied Tribes, and to Governor Haskell,
asking them TO join the commercial
club in the call for the congress.
Arrangements will be made for
large tract of ground, ten acres or
more, where the great central tent
for the congress can be pitched, and
around which may be grouped the
tepees Of the visiting chiefs and their
cabinets Of head men. This In all
probability will be In Hyde Park.
Ae soon as the replies from the
chiefs and the governor are received,
pledging their hearty cooperation in
the plan, an official form of invitation
will be prepared and sent to every
Indian chief in the United States. and
general invitation issued to every
member Of the Indian tribes in the
state of Oklahoma This invitation
will set forth the objects OF the gath.
ering and urge the chiefs to be pres.
ent, with as many of their trlbesmen
as II is possible for them 20 bring.
Specially urgent invitations will De
sent TO 'Tama, Jim Wilson, secretary
of agriculture, to come and meet the
Indians personally and explain 60
them his ideas of how tic lndIen
should handle his land The depart
ment is making highly creditable
effort In this direction now, and this
viii afford a spleRdid opportunity to
get in closer touch with the Indians
on this subject Similar invitations
and for the same purpose, viii be
sent to Richard Ballinger, Secretary
OF the interior and to Robert G. valen-
tine, commissioner of Indian affairs.
who have to deal with Indian cles.
tlons constantly.
And Teddy Roosevelt OF course.
He will reach New York on June l6
and you Just couldn't keep him away
from an Indian meeting Of thls char
acter. And President Tart, who now
and then can be induced 20 travel
a little way on the cars, he too. Will
be here IL the commercial club. the In
dians and the congressional delega.
tion can get him
Special invitations viii be sent to
the Indian chiefs OF Mexico. and to
representatives of that government to
be present and discuss with the In
dians of the United States. the advis.
ability, or individuality of the Indians
who are dissatisfied with their lot.
going to Mexico to build new homes.
The commercial club plans to have
the reception committee on the In.
dians include Senator Robert l.. Ow.
en-, Senator Chas Curtis. of Kansas.
and Representative Chas. d. Carter.
representatives in congress, all of
them Indians both in and out of the
state.
The idea that Is In view now Is TO
make this international Indian Con.
gress something that will far out-strlp
the Monhonk conferences IN real ben.
eft to the indian, for it will be com.
posed Of Indians who VIII meet and
discuss themselves matters OF the
greatest import to them. instead Of a
conference of theorists, who are sadly
lacking in knowledge Of the practical
problems that confront the Indian In
his home in the hut on the hillside
~ NHt Htt aHt iAtbi anu tAtH WHitu ne
Is swiftly being crowded ont by the
thrush Of white civilization
Il is particularly fitting that a con
gress should be held at this time.
when dissolution is staring every In.
dian nation in The United States In
the face, and the end OF the Indian as
a national entity is apparent There
has never been a congress OF this
scope and character held IN the his.
tory OF the United States And Mus
kogee Is the only proper place where
such congress could be held It Is
an Indian country II is headquarters
of the largest Indian agency in the
United States; It is headquarters for
government officers dealing with the
Indians Of the Five Civilized Tribes
who number almost as many as all
other Indians In the United States
combined.