Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-14
Robbj11g The Indians

Miss Kate Barnard, state commits
sioner of charities and corrections II:
Oklahoma, moves that he :iIne-worTl
expression "Lo. the poor Indian" be
amended TO read henceforward 'LC,
the poor Indian orphan" She declares
the former expression should be rele-
gated entirely. while the latter would
bring the Indian question strictly up
to date
No person il the state is more
thoroughly familiar with Indian affairs
in Oklahoma than Kate Barnard. and
no woman is more competent to com
ment upon their condition than she.
Ever since statehood came to Okla
bona and she was first elected state
charities commissioner she has been
closely connected with the red men,
and her interest III their children has
not always been solely from u sense Of
duty 10 her office, but from sympathy
deep and sincere.
Miss Barnard is already at work to
have the next Oklahoma legtAat ure
pass her Indian orphan bill! She made
game fight for 1t during the last ses-
sion. She asserts positively that the
Indian children are being maliciously
and wilfully robbed by due process OF
law in many instances. More than
So 900 ,ote has been taken from the
children of the red men. who. in later
years, without Inheritance or FUNDS,
must necessarily become wards Of the
state.
Early this year Commissioner Bar
nard and her assistants began actions
IL several COUNTIES against the WHITE
guardians of Indian children, all being
brought in civil suits. One hundred and
thirty-seven cases were filed, and at
the completion of the trials there were
1877 judgments in favor OF the Indian
minors. The cases were tried, too,
withou, the cost OF a penny to the es-
tates Of the orphans, and the amount
of money saved in attorneys ices at
the rate allowed by probate judges ID
the past amounted to $9.4OO.
Much Property Restored.
Including. cash and land restored 10
the orphans, the property amounted to
fully 100000. Taking this sum as
conservative amount and figuring ~
per cent as the usual percentage grant
ed TO guardians in such proceedings
the showing is a big saving for the In
dian children. This was accomplished
by Commissioner Barnard. however,
with an appropriation for expenses OF
S1,125 for fifteen months.
in connection with these orphans
there Is one duty that l would like to
perform" said Miss Barnard recently,
| but l have not the means at my dls-
posal. About S25O,O00 has been collected
/! Illegally from various orphans by guar
! diaas and there is nearly $25O.0OO more
! in expenses charged by these guardians
! sli1d 1,s.;., from 1uiTors' estate:
should be returned by suits both ciV1l
and criminal"
| 1t is accurately estimated that be-
| tween $4,000 and $4,000 Indian chill
dren. with parents, had guardians ap-
pointed by the courts, as the parents
themselves were either too Ignorant 70
look out for the interests of their OH
| spring or too anxious for dollar In
their own pockets to care. Each child
received title to a tract Of land varying
In size - the valuation varied. In some
cases the tracts were eighty and l6o
acres
| Under the provisions of the law the
! guar dian made a bond OF $40 Tor each
! Indian child that he guarded In
some instances one man mas DeeH
known to be guardian for 500 children
altho as a rule, the average was NOV
more than five or ten. Following the
signing of the bond the citizen, ap-
| pointed by the court, was the lawful
sponsor of the Indian minor or orphan
Minors Were Pennies.
! Quite naturally. the Indian orphan
had no income for maintenance. and
quite naturally too, the guardian could
not be expected to dig down in his own
pockets for food, clothing and shelter