The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-18
ROCKY BOY IS HAPPY
indian With Picturesque Name
and Tribe Satisfied With
. Home Life.
ONCE MUCH IN L|MEL|eHT
Joke Brings Relief to Wandering and
Destitute 'lndians-8urrows' Place
on Monetary Commission Ex-
'"- pires-Honor for Maury,
BY GEORGE CLINTON;


dian bureau the other day that Chief
Rocky Boy and his Indians in the far
northwest were satisfied with tho
home life. being contented and happy.
Chief Rocky Boy once was very much
in the congressional limelight. For
years this Indian chief and his fol-
lowing had been wandering about tho
country, homeless, unable to hunt and
doing little else but beg for q live
lihood. Finally congress took action
and the wandering mendicants were
= given a place to live. Former Sena-
tor Beveridge of Indiana is given
credit for having done something for
Rocky Boy, whose picturesque and
somewhat suggestive name attracted
more attention than did the supposed
starving condition of the man who
bore it. ..:--
Mr.. Beveridge who is now in pri.
vate life, would have been given, If
Chief Rocky Boy had done his duty
and had had the material to make
them. beaded hunting shirt, mocca-
sins, leggings and eagle war bonnet
of chieftainship in recognition of serv.
ices rendered.
Rocky Boy and his warriors and
women and children had never been
able to- get a home. They had been
wandering through Montana living
from hand to mouth and spurned alike
by" reds and whites. Bill after bill
had been introduced for their relief,
but no bill ever came within sight Of
the passing stage.
The name Rocky Boy finally struck
newspaper mans fancy. Possibly
he had had the feeling himself. In
all idle moment he drew up mock
measure and in it Senator Beveridge
figured as Chief Rocky Boy, while =
dozen or SO other senators figured un-
der other names as members of Rocky
Boys band of wanderers The names
fitted admirably or misfitted just as
admirably. Senator Allison, who in
no conceivable circumstances would
commit himself in words, was called
Chief Talks-Too-M Senator AID
rich, fer reasons which may be ap-
parent to people who know something
of him, appeared in the relief measure
as Chief Smooth Medicine.
Joke Brought Results.
A copy of the skit fell under Sena-
tor Beveridge's eye. It amused him.
He hung 1t on the wall Of his room.
He showed it. to people, and finally
10 IN = k1~% ~,
Boy and his band had done him 4
service, and he resolved to look into
Rocky Boys case. He did look into
1t and found that the chief and his
wandering Montana band were wor-
thy of consideration. The Indiana
senator made their cause his own.
Directing senators were asked to "be
good" andVa bill. "for the relief Of
the wandering American-born Indians
Of Rocky Boys baud" passed the sen.
ate of the United States.
Former Senator Julius Caesar Bur.
rows Of Michigan still lives in Wash.
ington in the winter. It was only six
weeks ago that his place on the mon.
etary commission expired by the limi.
tation Of law. Mr., Burrows has been
called here Julius Caesar Burrows.
That 1s his name, but he does not al.
together like 1t. Mr.. Burrows was
elected for several terms to the Unit
ed States senate and every time ex.
cept one when his credentials were
read from the desk his name was Civ.
en- as Julius Caesar Burrows. The
last time Mr. Burrows was elected tho
credentials bore the name Of Julius
c. burrows, and it Is said that this
was done by the Michigan mans ex-
pressed request.
Throughout almost the entire time
that he held Office Mr.. Burrows was
known throughout the length and
breadth OF Michigan simply as Julius
Caesar" He got tired Of IT. His
friends say THAT he, thought the ""Cae.
sar" part suggested llfe tenure of Of
1ce and smacked of imperialism.
Would Honor Maury.
To how many men today does the
name 81 Mathew Fontaine Maury
mean anything? Scientists probably
will recognize the name at once, but
to the ordinary layman 1t perhaps sug-
gests nothing but name. Represen-
tativo Ebens w. Martin Of North Da-
kota has been seeking government aid
for the erection Of monument in
Maury's. memory. Virginia was the
scene Of the birth. life and death of
this man whom now It Is sought to
honor. He was geologist, meteor
oloeists and one OF the discoverers Of
the laws. governing the winds. cur
rents and routes Of the ocean. So
Secretary Of Agriculture Wilson
I now has been. q member .of the cab,