Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-23
An Indian Convention to
Be Held at Columbus, Ohio

of the survival of the fittest left to work
itself out among them unhampered.
u
William Hazlett has made his mark
as owner of a stock farm and editor of
country newspaper. John NJ. Oskisor
is known in the magazine world. Charles
D. Carter is one of the representatives
| in Congress from Oklahoma. Thomas l.
Sloan is a lawyer, and is ranked among
the most prosperous members of his pro-
fession in the interior of Nebraska.
Henry Roe Cloud is a graduate of Yale
of the class of 1910. and has attracted
attention by his declaration in behalf OF
the manhood of his race. that the Indian
ought to be taxed like other people.
Charles Doxon is known to the friends OF
Hampton Institute in Virginia as an in
way up from a most unpropittouS be-
ginning. Miss Laura NJ Cornelius Is a
lawyer by profession and a writer and
| speaker of recognized ability.
With such material to draw upon, the
debates in the coming conference ought
sideration will include the Indian in ag-
riculture. as a skilled mechanic and in
professional life. the Indian woman as a
| modern homemaker, the higher education
art, the reservation system and its adj
ministration Indian land holding. trust
funds, citizenship, morals and religion
! This looks like rather wide range. but
as the conference of 1911 is intended only
!, as the first of annual series. it ma y
| be regarded as Introductory, and latel
conferences will doubtless be devoted Ia
| but one or two subjects each.
X
! The fact that such a convention has
been called shows that the younger In
dams realize that the Indian problem is
more the Indians problem than the
white mans-in other words, that its So
luton must be worked out by the Indian
! himself, the governments part being only
secondary Every one of the leaders in
this movement is where he is today, no,
| because of boosting from without, but
| by virtue of an evolution from within
Hence 1t is reasonable to expect that
se!f-help will be the keynote of most OF
| the utterances of the meeting. The diff
ferences which crop out among the
speakers will cluster chiefly around the
question. how far and how long the gov
ernment's interference with the full lib
erty of the Indian race ought to be toll
Grated. For the oncoming GENERATION OF
| Indians who have had a taste of indie
pendence have become restless under the
restraints of wardship, however benevo-
| lent its ultimate purpose.
/ STILL these broad views are subject to
many notifications. Mr.. Doxon, for in
stance is a strong advocate OF industrial
| training and would like to see q great
government school founded. to give q
post graduate course in the mechanical
arts to boys who have passed through
the present non-reservation schools. Mr..
| HaZlett is Il vigorous champion of the
existing non-reservation institutions, far
enough east to keep the pupils entirely
iout of the reservation atmosphere. His
own son has, however, been sent IT, the
public school nearest his home, and thus
| thrown into companionship and compe.
tition with white children.
/ DR.. Montezuma is a firm friend OF the
Carlisle School, though only as step.
ping-stone to the outside life in which
an Indian has to plow furrow for him
self. Others hold individual views a
variance in detail with these, but most
of them cling. consciously or uncon
sciously. in some degree to the old Gus
tom of looking to the government fol
help, in their capacity as Indians. No
a few justify their position with tn
argument that the government Is re
sponsible for the present condition o.
their race, and owes them at least a
free training for the battle of life by
way Of partial compensation.