The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-04
NINNEBAGO REDS
COMING into Town
ONCE VAcABoND TRIBEsMEN ARE
DEVELOPING AS FARMERS
IN NEBRASKA.

Omaha, Aug. S-The possibilities
that lie in store for the American In
dian is illustrated by what has been
accomplished by and among the Win
nebagoes in Nebraska the last FIVE
years. @
The reservation OF the Winnebago
Indians comprises large portion Of
Thurston county. On this area, some
twenty four miles square. there are in
the neighborhood Of 1900 persons. I'm
til ten years ago the Winnebagoes led
the life OF the nomad, having no fixed
place of habitation, so long, as they
kept upon the reservation Now how
ever, all is changed, and the majority
are rapidly becoming practical farmers.
In 1852 the Winnebagoes were resi-
dents Of Minnesota, and in the summer
Of that year took part in the uprising
that resulted in the killing of many
whites in and around New Ulm and
farther west.
Long Prisoners of War.
Pursued through Dakota. the Win
nebagoes were brought in as prisoners
of war and located upon an agency on
the Missouri river near Old Fort Ran
DALI S. d. There they remained for
time and then were removed to Okla
homa. The climate did not agree with
them and many died. To preserve the
tribe, something like thirty-flve years
ago they were brought back from the
south and placed upon their present
reservation. There they were practi-
cally prisoners of war. The only re-
sponsibilities that they knew were to
obey the orders OF the agent, who was
an army officer, and to draw their
semi-monthly rations and annuity
goods, the latter consisting of clothing,
bedding and clothes. This continued
until about fifteen years ago, when
their tribal relations were broken IN
and they were urged to take land in
severalty, the same being held in trust
for them by the government. .s.,-
Since taking land in severalitv. the
WlnneDagoes have developed with
wonderful rapidtty but the great prog
ress has come the last three years.
Three years ago they were looked upon
as a lot Of worthless and drunken vag-
abonds. They were the victims OF
bookkeeping whites and often terror
lied the community
New Era Dawns.
A few years ago when F. n. Abbott
became assistant commissioner of In
dian affairs and when A. H. Kneale
went among the Winnebagoes as su-
perintendent, 1t marked the dawn Of
new era for the Indians. These men
believed the Winnebagoes should be
made self-supporting. Prior to that
time and for several years, they had
been leasing their lands to cattlemen,
receiving rs cents to 81 per acre per
year for the same. In this way many
of the heads Of families had saved
some money, which had been banked
for them by the former agents. SUI
perintendent Kneale felt that the
money was not doing them any good
so long as it was in the bank so he
introduced a new order of things.
Indians who seemed to be more in
telligent than others were taken to
the agency and given instructions in
agriculture. The young men who had
graduated from the Indian schools at
Carlisle, Pa, and Genoa, Neb., were
placed in charge as assistant superin-
tendents, and using the money on hano
and that due and paid over by the
government many years ago on an osG
claim, teams were secured, land was
broken and many comfortable houses
erected. From the start, the plan took
well with the Indians. The first year
that they tried farming, the sod corn
crop was sufficient to pay all expenses
and leave good margin of prifit. The
second year was better still.
This year the Winnebagoes have
something In excess of 5000 acres I'M
der cultivation. Their wheat has been
rhreshed and in many instances the
yi~ld ran as high as forty bushels to
the acre. Their corn is fully up to the
standard of that raised by the white
farmers on land in close proximity and
the fields are as well titled and as
well kept.
Own Automobiles.
Thus 1t will be seen the Winnebagoes
are not pauper Indians by any means
Many of them ride In automobiles.
there being several on the reservation
that have cost as much as $4,000 each.
The Indians take care of them and
seem to be able TO get good service
out of them.
At the stores of Fender, Bancroft
and other towns around the reserva-
ton the credit of the Winnebagoes is