Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-04-13
MAJ. BELDEN RENDERED FAREWELL
GA RECEPTION kx
he has fulfilled the obligations i'm
nosed unnn him hY his position.

posed upon him by his position.
1t was with regret that we heard
OF his intention to resign. This regret
was universal on the Standing Rock
| reservation both among the Indians
as we'll as among the school and the
agency employees.
The duties of an agent are appar-
emily simple but difficult and trying,
and complicated in their detail The
conditions at Standing Rock and 9TH
er similar agencies are such that in
many instances the judgment and de-
cision of the agent are of moment
Gus consequences for the present and
future generation of the people en-
trusted to his charge. He has met
these conditions with that good judg-
ment and honesty which are his char
acteristics.
On his departure from us we de.
sire to express our feelings OF appre'
citation and admiration for the man
ner in which he has met these cOndi.
| tiOnS.
1t is not the intention of this gath
ering that there should be long talks,
! IL Is us uC6lAC " CAvA COO 10 1SSAS W.
at the departure of Major Belden, adj
miration for the manner in which he
has administered the affairs of the
reservation. and gratitude for the kind
ness with which he has always treat
ed each individual.
Major Belden, we desire to express
to you our best wishes. May the
blessing of the Great Spirit follow
YOU May the gates of honor. peace
and happiness be always open to you.
May no sorrow or distress disturb
your peace. And when length OF
years make you feel that the task as
signed to you has been faithfully per.
formed, may it be source of the
greatest satisfaction to you in those
days. mat the citizens of the Stand.
ing Rock reservation regretted your
departure, appreciated your efforts,
thanked you for the many courtesies
and wished you God speed in your flu.
ture.
With these words l desire to ex.
press to you my own feeling as well
as the feeling of those I have the
honor to represent.
Mr.. J. NJ. Carignan, former Indian
agent, then made a few appropriate
and praiseworthy remarks, sanction
ing what his predecessor had said
and voicing the great feeling of regard
and respect in which Major Belden is
held by those not Officially connected
with him.
The Rev. Father Bernard Strasmier
o. S. B.. then spoke feelingly and
touchingly upon the admirable quail
ties of Major Belden and expressed in
behalf of the missionary interests
their appreciation of his efforts and
cooperation with them in theil
work.
Mr.. Witzleben then told him in q
few choice words, that the people
wished to present him with a token in
the form of roll top desk and a filing
cabinet which he should accept as a
! tangible remembrance of them and
their esteem.
| The major then arose and began by
saying that if they expected to hear
a lengthy and eloquent speech from
him they must remember that the
morrow was the first of April. He
then told them of his heartfelt graf
itude for this demonstration in his
honor. That he felt that he owed them
a great debt for their friendly help
and cooperation with him during his
administration, that it was due to
this that he had been enabled to &C.
complish what he had also avoided,
the many pitfalls by the way. He
would not say more than II thank
you, l thank you" and sat down ut.
terly overcome by his feelings.
Mr.. J. Y. Hamilton, the newly ap-
pointed agent, was then called upon
and spoke convincingly upon the
good and capable administration of
his predecessor as he had found it,
and that the fact that there were so
few inspectors sent out from Wash
ington during his term of office, was
proof of the confidence in which he
was held by the department in Wash
ington. HE Is man," he continued,
"who makes friends easily, and re-
tains them and that is a quality which
any man in high Office must possess
in order to be successful"
SulCl JOuA NldSS lAcH SpOhc I'LL u
an interpreter, expressing in eloquent
terms the respect and honor which
he and the Indians held for their
ate-father. He said in part:
"The whites call you Major and
Agent but We call you Father and
by that title do we hold you in all
the respect that the word implies. We
have been as your children and you
have been as our father and as you
60 from us our hearts are sad and
we wish that you will live many
years and that all will be we'll with
you, I am DONE"
His speech was replete with beau
tiful thoughts and it was one of the
most interesting events of the even
ing.
After a selection by the orchestra,
the program was continued as fol-
lows:
Mrs. T. ]. Reedy-Song, Il Need
Thee So.
Mrs. l.. Endres and Miss Jean Wit
zleben, Piano Solo.
Mr.. Robert Bruce-Trombone Solo,
Forget Me Not.
Mr.. Watkins-Song. A Dream.
Miss Yeanie Stanley-Piano Solo.
fell ~