Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-01-06
(sy chas. r. Neher)

Red Man, has made this lake fam.
U as an Indian haunt in the days
gone by, remembered by many of the
present-day settlers and pioneers still
living at Turtle Lake and vicinity.
Many are the stories that are told OF
the meetings of these people that
were here before the white man came
and disturbed his mode of living and
taught him the use of our modern
tools and dress, which the latter has
been more impressive than the for
mer, easier to accomplish and more
to his taste.
Buffalo Gone.
The buffalo would seem out OF
place here, where he ono was the
ruling element, and had all that he
could see to call his f. eding place.
How different now. The broad fields
Of grain dott the prairie, as far as
the eye a see, and the Red Man has
left his happy hunting grounds to the
prosperous farmer, making this sec.
ton Of the state a paradise for the
energetic man Of the day. And
think, neighbor, that it was only yes
terlay that these other things were
all that we could find for miles, you
could travel for days and your eyes
would only behold the wild grass and
the Teppe of some wandering band
Of these people that live on the fat
Of the land in the summer and
starved In winter, not knowing what
wealth there was here for the taking,
and only energy and foresight need.
ed. They knew nothing of the ways
OF the thrifty, nd knew naught but
the vii Of the Great Spirit that al
ways guided them. A case Of too
much dependent, one of the songs
that made q great hit q few years
ago would have applied to this man
pretty we'll.
Man Of Leisure.
Everybody Works at Our House
But MY Old Man." The former man
that inhabited these rich and fertile
prairies let the .squaw do the work
and he hid around, holding the
pow.wows and waiting for the wind
to change and several other things
that went to make up his days work.
Don't blame him, though, 1t was not
his fault that he did not do as the
man of today would. How could
he? He had been raised in ignorance
Of civilization, and what it would
mean to his offspring and to himself.
On the other hand, what would have
been the result if the white man, up.
on coming, to this country, had made
him q friend instead of an enemy,
by their superior knowledge Of right
and wrong? Again, our government
is paying out yearly thousands Of
dollars that could have been avoided
by in%structing these people how to
care for themselves.
Indians Changed.
Look at the Indians around Athens,
Mich, and e the change that has
taken place in a few short years.
They have farms equal to the white
farmer, If not better; know stock rails
ing equally as we'll as any farmer.
. W. know of a case where we visa
you would Judge for YOURSELF which
was the case of the downfall of one
Of these people. Had five years at
Carlisle school, four years high
school, a %preparitol and graduate of
Valpars0 college, Indiana, taking a
law course after leaving college; had
a fine law practice and was doing
dell.
Beginning Of the End.
The start of his downfall was a
we'll known states attorney, calling
him a breed Indian, which was a
toni IlSc fothn~ rr,a n f,,11 hind
Frenchman and his mother a Cree
Indian. This states attorney could
not wait to call this man these names
outside of the court room, but did so
while they we're trying a case. and
the Judge hearing the case did not
rebuke the white man, but smiled
with the crowd, at the expense of THIS
man that had come from his people
to try and do as the white man had
done, and grow wise in their ways.
It did not stop here. People heard
the remark at the trial and on seeing
him would invariably have something
of the sort to say, thinking that this
man, because he was part Of the In
dian, had no right to argue a case In
n of our court rooms. From thought
to temptation, to indulging in a drink
of "~frewater" to drown his troubles,
not having what the other man had,
years of culture to stand by and
ward off the oncoming desire to free
himself of everything. Only let him
get away from the taunts Of his per-
secuters. This Indian that started
out to show his people that the In
dian could be educated and be as the
white man, fell-and today has been
arrested q number of times for blind
pigging. Lives In a hut close to n
OF the reserves, and is what the man
that should knew better, made him.
Now judge for yourself, did he have
the fair chance that is rightfully his?
Showing Them.
Give the Oldest settlers a fair
chance and make them feel as If they
were not in the way. Let them see,
and then show them the advantages
Of making hay while the sun shines.
We let the colored man have equal
rights, let this man have the right;
have the same privileges. Don't de-
ny him the living that is rightfully
his. Educate him to believe he is
not a burden, but a man among men
and he will do the rest.