Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-10-01
Major Mclaughlin
Red Mans Friend
"Give the Red Man His Portion" Says
Major Mclaughlin, who Heads In
dian Citizenship Commission

, Major James Mclaughlin o
Washington, inspector in the L
) S. Indian service. accompanied b,
f. a. Thackery, superintendent o
an Indian reservation with Agency
lat Pima, Arizona, arrived at Fort
Yates last week, and are making
headquarters at the Agency for some
time during which they will visit
the different districts OF tho rcser.
vation and meet personally as many
as possible OF the Indians, in order
to make a thorough inquiry into
their conditions, and determine
which of the members of the Stand
ing Rock Sioux are ready to assume
the responsibility of full citizenship
/ These two gentlemen were named
a commission by Secretary Of the
Interior Lane early last spring to
visit all the reservations in the
country, and upon their report de-
pends in a large measure the scope
OF the secretary's policy to make
the American Indian free man" i.
In his last annual report Secretary
Lane stated that the time had ar
rived when the Indian should be
given his due. That is instead OF
his land and property being held in
trust, and the Indian ward Of the
government subject to whims of
those i'll authority ON the different
reservations, he should in every
case where it was apparent that he
could handle his own affairs be CIV
en- full citizenship.
Tile question confronting the
commission so far as the Standing
Rock Sioux is concerned, Of deter
ming who are capable of handling
their own affairs, is easy of solution
The writer has known nearly
all the younger Indians for several
years and cannot off-land name
one Indian between IS and years
of age who is not as we'll capable to
earn his livelihood and manage his
own affairs as the average white
man. In fact the average young
Indian on the Standing Rock reser-
walton has had better educational
advantages than his white neighbor.
In any event the young Indian is
far more competent to exercise the
right of franchise and privileges Of
citizenship than the many foreign
ers from the Southern European
countries who constitute the major
ity of the citizens Of Elnmons,
Morton and other Slope counties,
who hold public office and are i'm
portant factors in determining the
political complexion OF the state.
1t is fortunate for the Standing
Rock Sioux that the commission is
headed by SO sincere and ablea man
as Mai. Mclaughlin. He was In
dian agent at Fort Yates for many
years, and no man in America
knows the Indian better. He knows
particularly well the Standing Rock
Sioux, with which tribe he is con-
nected by blood ties, and which res
ervation is the home of his children,
all Of whom have prcspcred and are
rated among the best citizens OF the
respective communities in which
they live.
Had Maj. Mclaughlin been more
OF a politician and less of a friend of
the Indian, he would long since
have been placed in the position Of
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs and
kent There. instead of the pOsitiOn
being made reward for political
activity, and new man selected
with every succeeding administra-
ton.
Maj. Mclaughlin is the author Of
the book "My Friend the Indian,
and his stand on the Indian ques-
tion is given in the last chapter
under the heading Give the Rcd
Man His Portion", which reads:
ut appears to me that it is the
duty Of the government to make
some provision presently for the
emancipation Of these unhappy
victims, to deliver them from the
evils that guarantee a future of un-
gentle paupery, by giving to the
Indian his portion and turn him
adrift to work out his own saliva
tioii.'