Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1915-08-14
10000 INDIANS IN
ARIZONA ENTITLED
TO MORE ATTENTION
Commissioner Sells Says Red
skins in This Country Are Con-
Stantly Increasing and Their
Interests Need Guarding.

PHOENIX, Aug. 13.-"The Indian is
not a vanishing race. There are more
Indians in the United States today
than there were ten years ago. and
the number is increasing, due to edu-
cation, sanitation and the adoption
.of the white mans way of living. Il
is therefore of the greatest importance
that the land holdings of the Indians
should be safeguarded, that they
should not be decreased" This in
brief was the message Of Cato Sells,
United States commissioner of Indian
affairs to the directors of the chamber
of commerce and a few others at
farewell dinner last night at the roof
garden Of the Arizona club.
No set program Of speeches had
been prepared for the affair, which
was delightfully."- informal. After din.
ner Judge Joseph H. Kibbey. who act
ed as POSTMASTER introduced each Of
the guests to Commissioner Sells with
brief and appropriate remarks, and
then called on the guest of honor
Responding, Commissioner Sells said
that he had not intended to visit Ari-
iona in August, and that he had been
delightfully."- surprised with the wealth
er here. It was no hotter than in Tex
as, he declared. while the nights were
most delightful He had been trying
for Is months to visit the Indians of
Arizona and he was glad to have come
at this time
There are 10000 Indians i'm Ari.
IONA, said Commissioner Sells. only
one state, Oklahoma. has a larger In
dian population, but there the proper
tion Of white people is much larger.
With 10000 of the 325,OOO Indians of
the United States within her borders.
Arizona should take more than a little |
interest in her Indian population.
Contrary TO popular belief the IN
dian is not a vanishing race. Educa-
ton, sanitation. better living condi-
tions are responsible for an increase .
over the population ten years ago. It /
is all the more necessary then that the .
Indians land holdings should not be
further reduced, for if his lands are
taken away the Indian will be unable .
to help himself and become totally
dependent on the white man for sup
port.''
The commissioner spoke very high /
ly of Superintendent Brown of the In /
dian School, who he said is one Of /
the best known and experienced men
in the service. His selection recently
for this post was based solely on his
merit and ability Commissioner Sells /
also paid a high tribute TO Senator
Ashrust, who is chairman of the com,
mittee on Indian affairs
superintendent Brown declared that
the very best gift the people Of Ari- /.
IONA had bestowed upon the Indians
within their borders was to give ,hem
prohibition. This one thing, he said
had done the greatest amount of good
Of anything that had been done, and
its benefits were plain.
The gathering broke up with de-
.ightful informal session of the story
Teller's Club" in which each of those
present took part Beside Commits
sioner Sells the guests were Superin-
tendent }. b Brown of the United
States Indian school. and the com
missioner's private secretary, Mr.
Hoffman. Commissioner Sells leaves
today for San Francisco, where he
viii address the convention of the In
dian Societies Of America on Saturday.
He viii return to Arizona later to Wis
ID the Colorado and Yuma reservations
before his return to Washington.