The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-10-24

Washington, ID. c., Oct 24.-Slowly
but persistently Uncle Sam is com
polling his Indian wards to adopt
modern civilization. The process has
been a slow one. but 1t is working out
| to the advantage OF all concerned,
with here and there an exception to
| that satisfactory rule. It was only
natural that an essential change in
the habits and customs OF the Indians
would at first go hard with the race,
even in physical sense. They had
been accustomed to the unhampered
freedom Of forest and field, rather
than to the cramped quarters and 9TH
er limitations placed on the white
man.
One of Uncle Sans latest steps
toward converting the Indian to the
ways OF civilization was the elimina-
| ton of the war dance and the substi-
tuition In It's place of the more peace
full pursuits of agriculture. For the
feast day the annual fair has been
| substituted For the most part the
Indians have fallen into line behind
the banner of progress. or course
there are here and there a few dis
gruntled red men, particularly men OF
advanced age, who have vivid recol-
lections of the glories of the past with
its entire freedom from restraint or
care.
Good reports are reaching the In
dian office here from it's field agents
regarding the success of fairs recently
held. For example, ]. b. Wood, who
attended the Rosebud fair of the Sioux
In South Dakota, writes as follows:
You will notice that the Indian
dances were cut to a minimum. The
dance was not made a special feature
as heretofore at such gatherings My
idea was to reduce this feature as
| much as possible and ultimately to
eliminate 1t altogether. / believe that
| the special attention OF all Indians
who attend the fairs should be d.
| rected to the Improvement of their
several allotments and the best ex-
hibits that could be made in the dis
play of vegetables, grain, produce and
livestock. and to encourage rivalry In
these matters"
These sentiments by Mr.. Wood were
received with approval at the Indian
office. Second Assistant Commission
err Hawks promptly responded as fol-
lows, going Mr.. Wood several better:
ut is noted that dances of all kinds
were conspicuously advertised at feat
ures of the fair. While 1t is assumed
that the dances permitted were of a
simple and unobjectionable nature,
and probably were the means of win
ming and holding the interest of the
Indians in the undertaking, the office
feels they should not be given much
prominence or encouragement, lest the
Indian, and the public generally as
well, gain the impression that the
propagation Of old customs and cere-
monies liz one of the objects of the
fair"
Unquestionably Sitting Bull, the late
celebrated fighting Sioux chief, would
not know his people If he should drop
in upon them today. The Sioux
undergoing reformation. They
among the most warlike and untam-
able of red men, but time has had a
mellowing effect upon them and con-
slant contact with the white man, the
education of their youth, and other
influences Of civilization have done
the rest. His bow and arrow have
been thrown away and in their places
are the plough and AK. His days of
roaming ended long ago and he has
settled down to farm or raise stock
or. perchance, to practice some pro-
fession Of the white man. The te-