Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-06-28
HESITATE
BEFORE SIGNING
ALLEGIANCE
TO FLAG
Pablo Abeita, Spokesman for
-Four Pueblo Governors at Is
leta Says Redmen Have Been
Mistreated by Uncle Sam.
OLD SPANISH RULE Is
DECLARED PREFERABLE


With Pablo Abeita, the most In
tuentlal Pueblo Indian In New Mex
leo az their spokesman. four governors
OF AS many Indian Pueblos refused
point blank yesterday to sign the dec
laratlon OF allegiance TO the United
states OF America. offered on behalf
81 the ROdman -Wanamaker Expcdl-
ton Of citizenship TO the North Amer
lean Indian, by Dr. Joseph Kossuth
Dixon.
The refusal TO SIGN the declaration
OF allegiance came after the governors
~ Islcta. sandal. Laguna and Accme
PueOlos had listened To Dr. Dixon speak
on the mission Of the wanamaker ex-
pedition. telling of the monument TO
the North American Indian, TO be
erected at Fort Wadsworth in New
York harbor he Indians participated
without dissent In hosting In Isieta
the stars and stripes that had been
hoisted by the thirty-two chiefs. repre-
senting eleven tribes, az Fort Wads-
worth. on February ~ last. The
declaration OF allegiance was made
redy 20 be signed, hut Pablo Abeita
interferod. saying In as many words
that tho Pueblo Indians preferred the
Mexican flag. under which banner
they had prosperity and protection
and happiness. 10 the American flag.
which had brought them only hardship
and unhappiness and cruel treatment.
Pablo Abeita, objecting to the sign
ing the declaration % allegiance, said;
Gentlemen OF the expedition; The
Indians OF tho pueblo OF lsleta are
very glad 60 see you and shake hands
with you, and talk so you. We sin
cercly appreciate the good viii OF the
Indian Office and the good will OF the
great government Of the United States
towards the Indian.
"Wo are glad To hear and Ia know
that this much has been done towards
forming stronger unity of friendship
between the United States government
and the Indian. through the kindness
and generosity Of Mr.. Wanamaker. !
trust the memorial viii be more Of a
memorial to Mr.. wanamaker than to
the Indian.
II am glad 20 many tribes OF In.
dans have signed the allegiance; u
simply shows the effect u viii have
among te Indians when trcted right
hy those above thcm or BY those under
whose control they are.
II feel personally that cannot sign
this allegiance. because / feel that my
people have not been trcted right by
the United states governments people.
do not mean 10 say that the United
states government or It's different de-
partmcnts have done wrong TO the
Pueblo Indians: Il Is true the depart
ment of the interior. the Indian office,
and It's officers have tried and have
done whole lot of good among us
Pueblo Indians, But the United
states governments people have tried
In every way to wrong us. and have
Wronged us. We feel that way. and
until II Is proven the reverse. we
stand as we stood ages ago.
Protect US az did the Spanish gov
eminent. as did the Mexican govern
ment, and we will sign with our
hearts.
To tell some facts which ann sure
the United states government does not
know, / would say: protect MS AS we
protected your people when they We're
few In this country. presume the
government does not know that had Il
rot been for the pueblo Indians. a
good many az the old-timors' pioneers
graves would have never been known,
hut their bones would have fed
the coyotes. The United states gov
eminent did not know this. II only
knew tho rasoality of the Indians; the
! Vauraf ftts 80 cha uhfta man was uaynf
known and is not known now.
when such men as you gentlcmen
come and talk friendship To- u.s. Il
reminds MS OF the tricks that were
| played upon us
- DO not mean 10 say that this Il
! another Of the tricks, But until OuI
rights are settled 10 the satisfaction oil
/ the Indians as well as OF the indiaT
! office. ! dare not sign. When all il
settled as above said. you can get m,