Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-04
NAVAJO INDIANS IN
SOUTHWEST IN
BAD SHAPE
Missionary Tells of Awful
Conditions on Reservations
Before Y. M. G. A. in Kan
City; White Man Scored.

Kansas city, Mo, March 4.--Indians
Of tho United States are today facing
the most critical period IN their his
terry. declared w. p. Johnson, for the
last pixteen years missionary worker
among the Navajo tribes, In an adj
dress at tho afternoon mems meeting
OF the Y. N. {. A. yesterday. Misun-
derstood and victimiged, In the south
west he asserted the conditions were
darker than In any section of Africa,
although IL was within forty hours
travel OF Kansas City.
Accurate conceptions Of the Indian
situation are difficult 10 secure" said
MIR. Johnston, FOR tho reason that
but two classes OF people write Of
them. the scientists and the noveiists.
The former Iamenting the passing OF
the old heather life and the latter
draw pictures OF the present day In
dian and HIS aims. wholly untrue. As
matter OF fact, the Indian Of the
southwest Ii facing difficulties and
making a Twins IN much the same
way as men in and about Kansas city
are doing"
After telling number OF anecdotes
20 illustrate the navajo ,character' one
Of an Indian ridlng $50 miles when
seriously wounded 20 answer 20 a
charge Of murder Voluntarily. the mis-
slonary declared. Men that are built
OF that kind OF material are the kind
wo need In our civilization"
-Four things were necessary, he
thought, 20 the future welfare OF the
Indians OF this section. They must be
prepared for the civilization they are
about 60 touch; secured In their title
70 their lands: their children must be
educated; and they must be evan
gollzed. White men are pressing on
the frontier for land as never before
and tho rights Of indians are being ig-
norod as IN the early days. The wat
ers used for irrigation by the ella
Indians and which ptade shem PROS
porous farmers have been diverted TO
white settlers lands unsil the Indians
were starving and there has yet been
no redress. Bands OF white men
"ciyllized white men," Mr.. Johnston
sarcaatlcally called them--even have
,iisposseseed Indians from their homes
az the point Of a gun and In the dead
of winter.
Although by treaty with the Navajo
tribe fourty-four years ago the gov
eminent promised them a teacher for
every thirty school children. there are
today IN the reservation six thousand
Of total Of eight thousand children
who have never seen a school. Twenty
por cent Of the Navaios have traeh-
oma. a disease so dangerous that for
elsners with II are not permitted to
land Understanding nothing OF
proper treatment. the Indians are SER
lousiy monaccd BY this and other dis
cases. or the thirty thousand men,
women and children. the missionaries
now IN the field can touch but seven
Thousand OF them. They are as yet
little contaminated by the vices Of civ
lllzation and tho missionaries are
striving % prepare. them for lie adj
vance.
'sThese are the conditions that ex-
ist within forty hours ride Of Kansns
CITY" said the speaker. with the
burden OF sorrow and trouble which
the Indians are bearing, n u any Won
der that an Indian songs are In a
minor key?" Prayers, men and
money. important IN the order NAM
ed ne thought were the chief needs