The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1912-12-21
Congressman Pat Harrison
Urges Bill Permitting En-
rollment With Tribe.
VIOLATIONS OF
TREATY RIGHTS
Is Charged --LaWmaker Says
Indians Who Aid White
Men Have Been Despoiled
Cites Firm Friendship of
Indian to the White Man.
N. Y. Herald Bureau, |
No. 500 H Street, N W., !
yXTo,b;nrton n T. Thurrdov

Washington, D. O., Thursday.
One of the most flagrant instances of
the failure of the government not only
to care for the Indians, over whom the
American people have assumed guar
dianship, to but carry out its treaty obli-
cations with tribes which never took up
arms against the white men and "sold"
hundreds of thousands of acres of valu-
able lands for few beads, was brought
to the attention of the House to-day by
Representative Byron P. Harrison, of
Mississippi.
The consideration of the annual In
dian appropriation bill had just begun,
and Mr.. Harrison spoke directly to the
members of the Committee on Indian
Affairs, who have once again failed to
allow money plainly needed for the sup
port of Indians and their protection from
disease in various parts of the country.
1t was in behalf of the Choctaws of
Mississippi that Mr.. Harrison spoke.
when, in 1880, the government wanted
these tribes to move westward across
the Mississippi River, and certain of
their number preferred to remain behind
and become American citizens, the
treaty of Dancing RABBIT Creek was
signed, by which those~ remained
behind were to be made American citl
zens and receive allotments of land.
From the records Mr.. Harrison
proved that those who remained behind
were refused the promised lands, and
to-day their descendants are not even
permitted to enroll as regular members
Of the Choctaw tribe, like their broth
ers living across the Mississippi in Ok
lahoma. BY being refused this enroll
ment they are deprived of whatever
money the government may appropri-
ate for the Choctaw Indians from time
to time.
Similar Bills Often Pigeon-Holed.
Mr.. Harrison showed that bills to per-
NIT the enrolment of these Indians in
and restore to them their
treaty rights have been introduced in
Congress and pigeon holed many times.
He asked for the tardy passage of a
bill for that purpose which he intro
duced at this session.
The members of the House, and of
the Indian Committee particularly, lis
tened carefully to Mr.. Harrison's elo-
quent appeal. He believes there is at
least a chance for favorable report on
the bill from the committee. Mr.. Har-
rison said:-
"The Mississippi Choctaws have been
neglected and numerically
treated. They acquired rights under
the treaty of 1880 which the United
States have never fairly and justly
recognized. Every act of Congre ss
with respect to the Mississippi Cnoc-
taws has violated the spirit and the
letter of that treaty.
SIT is unfair that the Oklahoma
Choctaws alone were permitted by act
OF Congress in 1881 to sue the govern
ment, recovering SS,000,000 for dam
ages done to the Mississippi Choctaw s.
Now scheming attorneys dictate agree
ments and have laws passed that m axe
it impossible for the Mississippi Oh oc-
taws to be enrolled, and actually create
courts to prevent the Mississippi Choc- :
taws from getting their rights.
Ever the White Mans Friends.
'sThe Mississippi Choctaw is part
of that great nation which never raised
its tomahawk against an American
citizen. That tribe assisted the white
man against the Creeks and Seminoles.
Thirty of her braves followed Mad
Anthony Wayne. Thousands of them
fought under jackson at New Orleans.
'sPushmataha, famous chief of the
Choctaws, once came to Washington
and in the simple, eloquent language
of the Indian laid his case before the
Great White Father. Only a few days
later he died in Washington, and his
body lies in the Congressional Ceme-
terry in this city. The tomb Is in
scribed: 49, sPushmataha lies here. A
warrior of great distinction. He was
wise in council, eloquent in an extra
ordinary degree, and on all occasions
and under all circumstances the white
mans friend.
Although Pushmataha has long
since gone to the happy hunting
grounds, his spirit animates the breasts
OF the scattered remnant Of his race