The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-09
RED MEMS RALLY
MAY Be THE LAST
Indians Are Called Together From
All States-President and Cabinet
To Be Invited

MUSKOGEE, Okla. April 5.-An in.
ternational congress OF Indians 10 be
participated In by every tribe OF In.
dams In the United States, and some
from Mexico and Canada, is to be held
In Muskogee. Okla, beginning June
- and ending July l. This is TO be
the last general conference OF the alb
origines OF the American continent. In
the words OF Charley Grass, a full
Flooded Cherokee, I'VE want TO get
together for one more talk II will
be our last"
The movement was started In Mus.
Royce by the Commercial club, which
mas asked Moty Tiger, Green McCur-
tam, Douglas Ii Johnston, John
brown and c. w. Rogers. the chiefs
oil The Creeks, Choctaws. Chickasaws,
Seminoles and Cherokees OF the Five
Civilized Tribes. and Gov. c. ~ Has
kell to join In an official invitation TO
every Indian chief in the United
states, and as many Of their head men
as II Is possible for them TO bring. to
participate Ia this congress. II is pro-
posed To bring together here the Kla-
maths from Oregon. the Sioux from
the Dakotas. the lroquois from New
York, the Seminoles from the ever
glades of Florida, the kicking Kicka-
poos from Southwestern Texas, the
Apaches from Arizona. and gather in
10 one vast assemblage chiefs from all
other tribes of the rapidly disappear
Ing race of red men.
President Will Be Invited.
And there viii be asked to meet
them President Taft. Secretary r. A.
Ballngcr of the interior department;
Robert G. Valentine, commissioner Of
Indian affairs: James A. Wilson, sec
rotary OF the department of agricul-
ture. and many other distinguished
citizens Of the United States who are
interested in the welfare of the In
dian. including Col. Roosevelt
This Is not entirely new idea. A
similar congress was held in Musko-
gee in 1873 At that time 5000 In
dians attended They came To that
congress from the Dakotas. New York
and Florida. The western tribes were
then uncivlized and did not partici
pate. The most distinguished repre-
sentative of the government present
at that congress was Carl SchurZ. at
that time secretary of the interior. and
his commissioner of Indian affairs
The object of this congress is pure
~ an educational one for the Indian,
with view 70 giving him an object
lesson in the new order of things for
the Indian. II is desired TO assemble
the Indians and let them meet In per-
son the government officials whose
province II is TO govern the Indian and
whose duty II is 10 teach him how to
take up the burden that civilization is
thrusting upon him.
II is desired to have Secretary VIII
son explain in person 10 these Indians
why and how that department OF the
government is endeavoring To teach
the Indian how to make his land pro-
ductive and have Secretary Ballinger
explain TO them the necessity for In
dian regulations, a thing which few
of the Indians understand or approve.
And II is desired to bring the less civil
lized Indians into close touch with the
Indian politicians and the Indian edu-
Gators of the Five Civilized Tribes in
Oklahoma as an object lesson OF the
proper sphere of usefulness OF the edu-
Gated Indian
A committee to take charge OF the
arrangements for the congress and
to entertain the Indians will be large
" composed OF Indians II will in
clude Senator Robert l.. Owen. of Ok
lahoma; Senator Charles Curtis, of
Kansas: Representative Charles n.
Carter. of Oklahoma all Indians the
five, Indian chiefs OF the civilized tibes.
and many other distinguished Indian
citizens from various sections OF the
United States.
Large Assemblage Grounds.
An area OF land, probably 40 acres.
will be secured and in the center of
this will be erected a large circus tent
I'm which will be held the big pow
vows The Indians will be urged to
pitch their tepees around this tent and
10 consider themselves on friendly
ground. No effort will be made to en-
terrain the Indians in the white mans
way. except to furnish speakers on
the subjects Of vital Importance TO the
Indian, his property rights and his flu
ture. They will BE- allowed to pow
WOW among themselves and follow
their own inc,inations.
Muskogee is considered a particu-
larly fitting place to hold such con-
cress. II is in an Indian country. II
Is headquarters for the government
officers who deal with the Indians. The
Union Indian agency here Is the larg-
est i'm the United States. The com
missioner to the Five Tribes here con-
Quoted the greatest ailotting work that
was ever undertaken by the United
States government Muskogee is head
quarters for all business Of the Indians
of the Five Civilized Tribes, whose
members embrace more than one-half
of the entire Indian population Of the
United States.
II is proposed to make this the
greatest assembly of indians that has
.var been got together in the world