The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25
INDIANS DEMAND
SEAT IN CONGRESS
Red Men Believe That They
Should Be Represented
by Delegates.
Ispeclal TO The Timcs-pispatch. !

Especial to The Times Dispatch.l
Washington, February IA vision
of big Indian chiefs, i'll paint and
feathers. sitting in the House of
| the sillt-tiled ana frock-coatcd Beau
Brummcls of Congress in II petition
now in the hands OF President Taft.
The brotherhood OF North American
Indians. organized here last Deem
Der. is demanding of the Great White
Father that he urge Congress to scat
| Indian delegates. OF full blood to man
age affairs affecting the thousands of
! Indians III the country.
Senator Curtis Qcpublican. Kansas)
has introduced a bill III the Senate to
incorporate the brotherhood, and has
announced the Federal organization
asked by the Indians Will be pressed
vigorously. Forty redskin chicftains.
representing 10000 Indians, met here
December TO form the brotherhood
representatives, of every large tribe from
the wigwams of New York State TO
the mountain camps of the Pacific
Northwest
Here are the demands of the brother.
hood before Congress ana the Pres
ident:
/ !. The right to have Indian dele
gates on the floor of Congress, OF In
sively by recognized Indian tribal
vote, one delegate for each $4,000 In
dian population. with the same powers
and compensation as delegates from
the present Territories
:. The right TO ratity or reject By
vote of the tribe or tribes affected.
after sixty days notice. any legis-
latlon ny Congress affecting OF re-
latinE 10 the sale allotment or other
Z a. H..
where there has not been an agree
mcnt with the Indians sanct!oning the
lands disposition.
3. Liberal appropriations for the IN
dian service.
!. An advisory boara of Indians for
each Indian school or agency. con-
sistinE of three or more members, 10
be chosen by India tribes, whose
judgment shall have equal weight with
the commentators OF the superin-
tcndcnt or agent in all matters affect
ing the tribes.
5. Greater Industrial assistance and
development III Indian agricultural
communities.
6. Greater cooperation between the
Federal government and State govern
ments in all matters of education OF
Indian youths, with opportunity TO at
tend State public schools. whenever
these arc preferred by the Indians.
I. a more liberal policy by the Indian
Office in allowing the Indians TO use
their individual moneyB
S. The right OF petition and assembly
without restriction or restraint. and
the right to come and go without the
permission Of any superintendent or
agent.
.. Qualifications being equal. indians
by blood be given preference IN the
Indian service az superintendent and
employees
10. Protection, rs persons. under the
Constitution. for all Indians. whether
as tribes or individuals. of life, liberty
and property, and the right to enforce
such protection IN the courts.
The brotherhood backs Up its re-
quests with the covert statement that
1t represents $4,000 Indian votes.
1t also pointed out In the Indians
dian property is Sl,o11. $4,000. This
sum includes, tribal lands and funds
OF S22l, o22,000 individual lands and
property of S3S7,5i2.000: government
plant" worth S22,SlS,00O. and property
of 10000 Indians not under Federal
control estimated at 5000, 100000.
The petition says in part:
Surely our interests are vast enough,
our people Intelligent enough and our
personal training of more than 100
years under government tutorshlp and
control good enough 20 entitlo us now
TO have representation in the making
ana administering of the laws that at
feet our very existence. as a people.
that afcct our material welfare, our
property rights and our destiny.
The government has long been in
the habit of negotiating treaties with
the Indians, the very hrst treaty ever
made being with the Delawares, in
which our people were promised rep
resentation in Congress. Some or our
reservations arc being opened, allotted
and sold without consulting our pco-
pie
I'VE DO not come in a belligercnt
spirit, but we believe we are entitled
10 the same liberties, the same protec-
ton and the same treatment rs is ac-
corded TO all American citizens, and
place us upon Il plane of equality with
that of our white brother"
Ostracsm OF Indian south by plac-
ing them in exclusively Indian schools
is another complaint OF the chieftains.
They declare Indian children should be
allowed to choose their schools. whe-
Their In the general public Institutions
or the segregated Indian establish
ments
Indians declare they are in identi-
cally the same position now as
were the thirteen original States when
independence was declared In 1916.
They say their property interests are
as large as those Of the colonists.