Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-02-26
Col. ]. Mclaughlin
Lauds All Indians
Col. Mclaughlin, Veteran Indian In.
spector. Gives Interview on lndians
to Duluth News.Tribune

The Duluth News-Tribunc last
week published the following story
OF Il visit there OF Col. James Nc
l-aughlin, inspector of the L. S. In
dian service The story is OF parti-
cular interest here owing to the fact
that Col. Mclaughlin makes his
home at Mclaughlin. and was one
of the first Indian agents OF the,
Standing Rock Agency. The story
follows:
Mai. James Mclaughlin $ friend,
the Indian, has passed the period OF
transition and has taken his place
beside his white brother as a true
American business man, farmer and
professional man
Ills tribe is increasing. lie is
hrl ping to make more sturdy the
already virilr American manhood.
lie has put away the life OF the
wilds, and has left to his fast-disap-
p"aring grandparents the mystic
legends and poetry OF his race.
Major Mclaughlin, now on the
last lap of his forty-tifth year in the
Indian service of the United States
government, who was the guest OF
q. Ashley Tomlillson at the kitchi
Gammi club last night, is glad---
but sad, too---becusc of all this
change.
Major Mclaughlin, inspector for
the department OF the interior, ar
rived in Superior yesterday with DIR.
w. NJ. Wooster and ID NJ. Wooster,
assistants, from Washington, to con-
slider the claims pi Indians living
near Superior, to share in the money
and land which is being awarded to
members OF tho La Pointc band OF
the Lake Superior Chippcwas by
the federal government.
Major Mclaughlin. with his
fricnd---not an Indian this time,
but man that has known the In
dams for years d. F. Barry Of Sup
erior---:lnd several others "rcmi-
nisced" to their hearts content
last night.
Grown white haired, ruggcdly
hale, and he says, grown happy, in
his nearly As years among the In
dians of the United States, Major
Mclaughlin likes to chat with his
friends about the experiences OF
many years. Many OF those en-
perienccs were hazardous. Major
Mclaughlin was an Indian agent at
the time when being such meant
exposure to great hazards.
While most OF his services was in
the Dakotas, he has been among
the Zunis, Apachcs, Pucblos and
almost every tribe OF the United
States. He said he had almost for
gotten many Of the languages and
dialects he knew, but he now has
little difficulty in holding converse
ton with Chippewa or Sioux
whose life he knew best.
As he talked with Mr.. Barry and
several other friends, discussing am
using and exciting times OF a quart
cr-ccntury ago, the Majors eyes
sparklcd and his face glowcd. He
did not say so, in words, but his
expression said: Those were the
days Of days!'
The Indian is much the same
throughout the continent" said
Major Mclaughlin. Contrary to
general belief, his race is not de-
creasing. The period Of transition
---about 30 years. from the life OF
the wi}ds to the life Of civilization
was hard for him and there was q
decrease for time, but he has pas
sed that now, and he is making
himself a valuable addition to the
citizenship OF the United States"
Al Major McLaughlin's book, giving
: his experiences among the Indians
is called "My Friend, The Indian, -
: and is illustrated with a number oi
: Mr.. Barry's famous photographs.
; His headquarters are at Washing
x ton, but his home is in McLaugh'
# lin, S. D., Il town named in hi
honor.