The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-09-13
YAK|MAS TALK
TO SECRETARY
Conference With Walter A. Fish
er, Secretary of Interior, Sat-
urday, September 8, 1911
INDIANS CLAIM TREATY
RIGHTS ON IRRIGATION
Are Willing Though to Submit the
Matter to Department, Insisting
They Have First Right to the
Water

One of the most interesting fea-
lures of the entertainment of Secre-
tary Fisher in the Yakima valley last
Saturday was the conference with the
Yakima Indians which took place II
the rooms of the Commercial club at
Toppensh. The Indians through 'ueir
Interpreter took up their needs in tho
way Of irrigation for their lands, and
presented the matter to the secretary
The meeting was presided over by
Leonard Talbert, president of the
Toppenish Commercial club; and the
first speaker to address the secretary
was the Rev. George Waters. chief,
who said as follows Through tna IA
terpreter
II am very much pleased to meet
the great secretary of whom we have
heard so much, and have patti an,'y
waited your coming
"A very long time ago, in 1859
when ] was a boy, We became ac-
quainted with the white man, and
have tried to adopt his WAYS aud re-
ligon. More than 20 years ago col.
Rankin. the Indian agent allotted to
each of us so acres of land ana We
were advised by our white Brethren
| that the S0acres would he ours for all
time, for every man. woman ana
child: and we have always consIdere
1t ours, never anticipating anvtAing
to destroy that right. Two years ago
Mr.. Young became agent ana changed
the law to us, and We signed things
we We're not acquainted with. ! vas
not favorable To such "A change Why
should 60 acres be given to irrigate
20 acres? In 1885 we had 4 treaty,
| the only one we wish to abide by, and
the Yakima river was the bouud1ry
and the whole of the river was ours
the treaty didn't specify that hlif %
| it was the white mans--it always had
| been ours
Isaac stevens made the treaty and
we considered this land ours a. long
as the sun shonc, SO II seems 80 me
that the water is ours. to WatAr our
so acres land we AZ a body of people
believe that we are entitled 10 tho
whole 80 and water to irriglte T.. and
not to lose part for irrigating We
object to any change Of laws or
treaties
III | own n horse YOU want it is
not for you to name the price nd
| compel me to take it. You, Mr. Fish
err. know that | am right in that Tho
Creator gave us the right to the land
and water from the Yakima. All rtn
are created equal. red and white and
should be treated so. tapplause We
are not distressed but we hear tN"ss
things and we ask YOU for the truth
| These brief remarks. ! think win
make it paint TO you. and | trust that
| it will remain in your mind and not
be erased FOR ALI time"
Treaty Rights Invioiatc
| Lancaster Spencer. the next speak
or, said
rive been i'll for more than week
and had no idea of the pleasure OF
meeting you. Mr. Secretary. be-
lieve that anything which is good is
right for both sides Of bargain. In
olden times when peace was declared.
my people remembered all this |
will be brief. making simple remarks
When We Yakimas treated with the
! United States as our chief has I'D
you. ne considered this right invh-
late--this allotment to each one OF us.
Not long ago, the reclamation service
began making surveys without ask
ing ms for any privileges over and
through our lands and at the time OF
treaty, nothing was said about losing
our water rights. for we took first
from the water.
This liz the expression Of my peo-
pie, the right 10 wafer and land and
We have no knowledge Of ever for
feiting any of those rights.
We had the right to a township in
Wenatchee and we relinqushed il for
$4,000. which gave US a right to
water which we think can not be for
feited We originated the opening up
Of canals and not the government.
The reclamation service seems to say
that we have not the right to this
water There is no reason for us to
he without water. You are planning
TO convey water to Horse Heaven and
other places--why not to US first? Mr..
| Secretary my mind is the same as the
mind Of us all our timber is valued
at sS,0oO,0o0 as appraised. and we
feel able to care for ourselves The
white men own $50 acres each and
are not able to meet the require
ments We have this surplus to fall
back upon. VIII not the government
allow us to use our own water? WIN
not they help Us to use our own p
build canals, et,, and we shall feel
| benefited and pleased
One of my people there, wears
hong hair and he Is Independent and
| would be
I