The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-02-11

position to the measure. Mr.. Williams
of Burleigh stated that he thought the
house had labored under misappre-
hension when acting on the question
the day before and that the bill was
good one and should pass.
Mr. Sorlie OF Trail asked the mem
Der from Burleigh to point out in what
particulars the bill was a good one.
He said he was against 1t Thursday
and was still against 1t. He contended
the measure was very drastic and ii
it should be enacted it would give the
superintendent of these Indian insti-
tutions the right to take children from
their homes, which was an injustice
to humanity.
Mr. DISCARD of Nelson pointed out
that the principal purpose of the bin
was not to empower the authorities Of
these schools to take children on the
reservations from their homes by force.
but to prevent people who might be
sentimentally inclined from harboring
those children who had run away
from school.
Colonel Frame spoke in favor Of re-
consideration, stating he had opposed
the Dill on It's final passage Thursday.
but he had since altered his opinion
as he now felt the measure was a good
one.
Mr.. Streeter of Emmons stated he
had been in the same position the day
before as Colonel Frame, but since re-
reading the bill had been convinced of
its merits and was ready to support it
In speaking a second time, Mr.. Sor-
lie said he had no way of knowing
what the intention of the author was
in drawing the bill; the only thing he
could gather was from what the bill
SAID, when did not change his views.
He felt that If the bill could be with
Drawn or so amended as not to make
II SO drastic in its provisions. he might
vote for reconsideration along with the
rest. But as it stood, he said he thought
the law was wrong when it compelled
Indian children from their homes to be
taken to institutions located at a dis
tance Of from sixty to 200 miles. He
thought in all probability that Indian
parents had just as much affection for
their young as civilized families.
Mr.. Hyland of Ramsey said that liy-
ing in the vicinity of one of these
schools at Devils Lake, he knew that
every consideration was given these
indian children and that they were
educated and cared for without ex-
pense to their parents When they
were taken to school they were like
wild birds being Gagged and it was diff
1cult to keep them there. The ten
dency was to break away and return
to their homes, and it was just for
this purpose he thought the bill had
been framed.
Mr. Price then said he felt the house
was laboring under a great misappre-
henston. He felt that none of the SUI
perintendents of these schools would
drag these children away from their
homes nor work any hardship on their
families. But there was a necessity of
educating them, which they probably
could not realize, so that this was
compulsory just as compulsory edu-
cation existed on the statutes in this
state for white children under a GER
tain age.
Mr.. Hyland proposed that Senator
WEIGH be invited to address the house
for five minutes to explain the exact
provisions of the bill, but this was
to by Mr.. Sorlie and Colonel
Frame, and when the vote was taken
the motion carried. Mr., Williams then
moved to recommit it to the committee
on education.