The Washington times., 1911-07-14
Makes First Trip Alone to
Join Friendless
Tribe.
SITTING BULLS RING
PRESENTED AS TOKEN
Severalty Land Act Atones For
Much Of Government Wrongs"
She Says.

OF the whole situation when 1 read tha
book OF treaties between the Govsrn-
| ment and the Indians for the first Tina
Right and left the Indians were being
shamelessly robbed Of their interests In
the land. The responsibility rested with
the Government determined that
| there must be some legislation that
would assure the Indian his rightfuI
, home.
My first move on Congress was q
queer little petition which / had gotten
up. sent II to Senator Morgan in
washington. After a time I heard that
II had been received and ordered print
ed, and you know what that means,
never knew what the word waiting
meant. There 1 was between the Gov
ernment on the one side and the In
dams on the other, and nothing was
being done to correct the abuses which
the latter were enduring.
Il said. IN go to WASHINGTON and
I'll see what has become of that bitter
cry have sent. So l came to Wash
tngton and saw the men into whose
been intrusted. 1t was the first time
anyone had come to them straight
from the field. The treatment Of the
Ponkas was a concrete case. / argued
and pleaded with Congress. spoke In
many churches.
Efforts Are crowned
With Victory.
The first victory was the passage OF
the Omaha bill in 1852. by which land
was apportioned TO the Indians in the
ratio of 16c acres to the head of the
family, eighty acres to all members over
eighteen years old, and forty acres to
all under that age. 1t was not what
1 wanted, but it was a start. In many
ways the bill was defective. The fight for
justice continued and in 1851 We got the
bill through by which the Indians were
entitled TO ownership of land in sew
crafty.
The day President Cleveland signed
II, February s, 1887, 1 was standing on a
little hill with some of my Indian
friends, when off in the distance we saw
a7hOrseman coming toward US. Great
clouds of dust rose as the horse gallop-
thing above his head. 1t was a tele-
gram from Sioux City. informing me
that the bill had become law.
1T seemed as If they must have come
from the sky, so suddenly did they ap-
pear, for l was soon surround by In
dams, all of them with arms upraised
and palms turned toward the sky-the
Indian sign of blessing. I shall never
forget that scene. One old Indian came
to me and said' holding his hands
You saw the day coming and 1t is
here
THAT scene repaid me for all the
trials and disappointments, and for all
the hopes and discouragements. Years
have passed, but sometimes when go
back among my old friends and see
their changed condition, when visit in
the homes of the children of many Of
those who have died, and look over the
rows Of neat cottages with white cur
tains at the windows, with pianos and
sewing machines and all that goes to
make the home ideal, am glad that l
was permitted to help in bringing these
things about.
"I have crossed the plains a number
of times with the Indians. Never have
found them anything but a courteous
and kindly people.
There is as much etiquette IN an In
dian tee-pee as IN a Washington draw
ing room. Today the Indians are peace
full, and, in a way, contented. They
have adjusted themselves to the changed
conditions. The day Of shotgun legtsla-
ton has gone forever. We Of the East
have much TO regret, but bad as We
have been to the Indians, sorry and sor-
rowful as has been our record, the pas
sage Of the severalty act and the just
recognition of the Indians rights was
magnificent bit of national repentance