The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-18
indians HOLD
A CONFERENCE
Delegates Assemble at Fort
Yates to Discuss Pend
ing Suit on Lands.

Bismarck, \. D.. March 1s.-Dr. A.
MEG. Beede. the Indian missionary
who has heen in Bie,narck this week
tells Of Il great council now being
held by delegates Of several tribes who
are now assembled at Fort Yates.
While hore he related several Of the
circumstances in connection with the
affair.
"Chosen delegates" DR.. McGeed
says, "of the Arrapaho, Cheyenne and
Sioux Indian nations are assembled at
Fort Yates for the purpose Of starting
q law suit against the U. s. govern
ment for obtaining the Black Hill
country by dishonest means, and with
out q fair compensation. Numerous
Indians besides the delegates are in
attendance. Here one mag meet the
companions Of Sitting Bull. particle
pants in the battle with Sully at XIII
deer mountain and those who saw
Captain Fisk hemmed in at h corral
which has been recently located by
the North Dakota Histrical society.
And to hear those old Indians talk on
such events seems almost like parti-
cipatine in them. And we must real
ize that while the Sitting Bull-Custer
battle IL truly the tragedy Of the Da-
kotas (sioux), still it involved the in
j. terests Of the Arrapahoes and Chey-
ennes also.
"How many historians are aware
that Sitting Bulls craftsmanship had
secured an alliance between the Sioux.
the Arrapahoes and the Cheyennes!
This council assembled is proof OF this
alliance.
"Probably no one who reads this is
aware that in February. 1874, sitting
Bull gent able delegates to Fort Bertn,
old. asking that all the Fort Bertnoia
Indians break off their alliance WIN
~ - --..~~uNAnf md infn his IN
dian confederacy, and that he made
every possible effort to lead the crows
aiso in to this alliance. These dele
gates Of Sitting Bull said to me fort
Rerthold Indians: 'You have the Key
to the door. You can trail US. but tne
soldiers can't. You can tell the sol,
diers how to conquer us. II you WI
5oin with US. we do not rear ene %n not
man. With you to help us, and no.
helm the United States army we can
hold the land guaranteed to US by the
treaty Of 1868, and you shall nave all
yo,, want Of this land The Fort
Rerthold Indians did not join the all
liance. Why not? II for no other rea,
son than because their women ana
children. used to living IN houses 1or
many generations. could not have en-
dmred the h~ardships to which Sioux
women and children were accustomed.
Tha Fort Berthold Indians sent their
roune men to help the United States
srrny and nov those loyal young men,
crown old. and some Of them wounded
have no pensions from the q. 8. gov
eminent. and do not receive as mucn
Ian as is given to the Sioux. And so
among Chippewas. Sioux, Arikarosac,
We hear the saying: The white man
raspects only what he fears
.These delegates assembled at Fort
yata. claim that the treaty of 1868
guaranteed them all the land from Ne.
Sraska to the 46th parallel north. and
from the Missouri river to the l41st
parallel west. and stipulated That no
change should be made in this treaty
without the consent in writing
+three-feurths Of the adult male In
dams. tThe treaty does read that
way). They claim. further, that the
treaty Of 1876, by which the treaty OF
1868 was greatly changed IN the in
terests of the white man was signed
by only about o%ne-fourth OF the male
adult Indians. that a majority OF those
siRninr acted under stress. and that
the $1,000. 600 promised even in this
treaty. executed f%raudulently. has not
been paid.
Listening to the statement Of In
dian witnesses and examining the doc
uments seems to show q good prima
facia case against the U. 8. govern
ment. But the governments answer
IS yet to be heard"