Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-10-19
= BEtG CHIEF
VALENTINE HERE
Says People of East Know
About AS Little AS Some
People Out Here
TRACH0MA IS GREAT MENACE
Says He Is Not Involved in the
Suit Against "Pussyfoots
Johnston

Declaring that the people 81 the
east know just as little about the In
dian and his needs as some Of the
people who live right close TO the In.
dian pueblos, United States Indian
Commissioner r.. G. Valentine dis
cussed at length last night the work
IN which he is engaged and some of
the problems that confront him
Mr. Valentine came to the city yes.
| terday afternoon from the Santa
Clara Indian pueblo. He was accom-
panied by B. johnson, inspector of In
dian schools, from Washington and
with whom he has been visiting the
| Indian pueblos on the coast
Mr.. Valentine is still young man,
apparently Of boundless energy and
possessed Of a pleasing personality.
AS assistant to Francis f. Leupp for
years he has learned much about the
Indian and his affairs and now as In.
| dian commissioner, who prefers to
ride in the saddle and go through a
| pueblo rather than around it to get
|
man Uncle Sam depends on to help
poor Lo.
| Il am profoundly interested in
sanitation" said Mr.. Valentine. II
may be called crank on that subject
but | think il Is of sufficient import
ance to occupy much attention. l
believe that the problem of trachoma
| ! h.
and requires the most stringent ef-
forts to prevent it's ravages from
growing worse.
81 believe that the government In.
dian schools should be absolutely SAN
itary and that the benefits of sun and
fresh air should be the Indians as
we'll as the white mans"
Mr. Valentine said that he had in
spected the Santa Clara reservation
and would prefer not to give out his
opinion as to conditions. He said
that today he would start for the
Pima reservation in Arizona.
Indians in 26 States.
He said that there are Indians in
26 states of the Union. even in old
. Florida, where the survivors of the
Seminole warriors are still residing.
"They seem to be getting along
pretty well, too.' he added, looking
after themselves perhaps more than
other Indians"
Asked if he did not think the In
dian would be better off with less
! paternal solicitude on the part of the
government Mr.. Valentine smiled. 'It
is great question" he replied, what
is best for the Indian. You must real
: ize that Indians are different just as
the Germans and Italians and French
differ. Certain it is from a sanitary
standpoint life on the farm, agricul-
tural pursuits and SO forth are better
for the Indian than residence in
pueblo and life in a stuffy. adobe
room. We are doing our best to get
the Indians to take to agricultural pur.
suits and we have agricultural stud.
ents teaching them"
Sense of Humor.
Mr. Valentine said that 1t is not
generally known that the Indian has
keen sense of humor and that often
on his tour of inspection he has seen
evidence of it.
He said that another striking char
: acteristic of the Indian is his faith in
Washington. Never on my tours have
yet heard an Indian, no matter how
dissatisfied he was, utter complaint
of the most trifling kind, against the
t Washington authorities to whom he
looks for government"
The commissioner added, with a
smile, that the romance about the
Great White Father perhaps is dying
away, however this may be because
It is the policy of the President to
, allow the Bureau of Indian Affairs to
: attend to the Indians needs and com.
, plants.
Local Affairs.
Asked If he cared to make state
, ment about the resignation of PUSSY.
FOOT Johnson from the Indian serv.
ice and the charges he has made
, against certain Indian officials, Mr..
; Valentine said: THAT is personal
matter between Mr.. johnson and
those officials. I have not come down
, here on that affair, at all. 1 have
come here to inspect, on my tour, and
to gain knowledge of conditions, it
is true, but have not been called
here in this suit" He referred to the
suit Mr.. Crandall has brought against
Mr. Johnson for damages charging
that Johnson libelled him.
Before Mr.. Valentine left the city,
he was called upon by prominent of.
f1cials, territorial as we'll as Indian.