The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-04

Standing Rock, N. D., Oct. s.
| Staged on a natural Pavilion three
miles in diameter, surrounded win
hills majestic beyond description win
naught but heavens blue for a can
| opy, and the original sod carpeted with
buffalo grass, in the very footprints
of Sitting Bull, Gail, Crazy Horn, and
the haunts Of Custer, Sheridan, Miles
Sully, and other early heroes Of Am
erican frontier life, was played at FL
Yates on Standing Rock reservation
sixty miles below Bismarck, on Iues-
| day, Sept. 80, a drama in Indian HE
which will be recorded as one or the
| greatest events in the history OF the
Sioux nation.
1t was the ceremony attendant up
on the visit Of DR.. Joseph Kossuth
Dixon leader of the Redman Wanna
maker Exposition to the North Am
erican Indian, wherein they kissed the
flag, raised it to top mast, n made
a declaration Of allegiance to the
| government of the United States.
These ceremonies were carried out
with all the pomp of a subdued m
fading savagery, with all the fra
ternity n hospitality of a simple,
kindhearted and misunderstood peo-
pie, the likes of the American Indian
WHICH never was known DGlOTS Ill LlC
history Of the world.
The peace message which was
brought to this honest, kind and
generous tribe Of American plainsmen
through the offices Of that great phil
anthropast Rodman Wanamaker, the
multi-millionaire merchant Of New
York City, was given to them on this
day, and with many "Hows," their
faces beaming with the JUNCTION of
pleasure and approval, and after kiss
ing the flag which they were taught
on this occasion to understand as
representing n protecting them,
they, with their w hands raised Old
Glory to a majestic height which
brought cheers Of patriotism from
many threats which had raised he
war whoop and battlecry against it in
the field of carnage less than four
short decades ago.
1t was a gala day for the Indian,
and marked for the Wanamaker eX-
pedition a date in the itinerary which
it is claimed eXcelled all others.
Authorized by Congress.
In December, 1911, President Taft
approved the bill providing that there
may be erected, without cost to the
United States government, by Mr..
Rodman Wanamaker of New York, on
the United States reservation in the
harbor of New York, at Fort Wads-
worth, a suitable memorial to the
memory of the American Indian.
A design was drawn and approved
by the Commission of Fine Arts. The
memorial is to consist of a very large
st ne and marble museum, to be
erected on the highest point of the
hills at the narrows of New York
harbor, where boats in passing to
n fro may view it in all it's splen-
dor. On a pedestal which is to be
erected on the top of the museum is
to be a bronze or copper statue of
height.
Mr.. Wanamaker's Ambition.
In casting about with a view to do
ing big things, Mr.. Wanamaker hit
upon the idea of helping the Ameri-
can Indian, to make him a better citi-
zen, and to interest him in a parti-
otism for the United States govern
ment. AS an incentive to them to
do this he decided to erect this mem
orial. n so great is it to be that
the Statue of Liberty, now in New
York harbor, will pale into insignif-
canoe.
But there was a great work to be
done in order to interest the Indi-
oAlo, o4lu DIS d ISSull Ii. JQSSpI NUS
suth Dixon was chosen by Mr.. Wanna
maker to visit every tribe in the Unit
ed States, tell them of his mission, of
the efforts of Mr.. Wanamaker, to pre-
sent them with a flag, have them
make q. declaration of allegiance to
the United States, get them to think
ing right and, if possible, to make
them understand that his sympathies
are with them.
A Stupendous Undertaking.
This was a stupendous undertaking,
but DR.. Dixon set to work and, after
several months of travel, he has COW