The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-08-23

failure of presentation by one &C
quainted with all the facts. A
reading Of the colorless statements
before congressional committees is
convincing on this point.
He should be allowed to take
advantage of local markets, buy
ing or selling, according to need
aud opportunity, when his affairs
could be carried on with less la Dor,
annoyance, expense and delay than
are incurred under present pro
visions, and the government pro-
perty in his hands could be much
better cared for. There are few
superintendent [ have met who
would be unable to measure up to
the needed standards of ability and
efficiency, and those few could be
easily replaced.
ST. BEMDICT'$ CATHOLIC MISSION.
Investigation will prove, l am
sure, that the Indian missions con-
Quoted as here suggested discount
the government agencies in econ
omy and equal them in efficiency.
The reduction in overhead ex-
.pense in the Washington office and
central warehouse alone would
justify the change.
From association and contact
with the Indian l have become
convinced that his treatment oy
the government is one of continued
error heaped upon initial mistake.
Originally segregated upon reser-
vations in order to insure the
safety of the whites who were
thinly settled in outlying territory,
the continuation CT such & policy
after the full attainment of its
purposes has operated to delay
development, the. amalgamatlon
and the civilization Of the Indians
in the fullfilment of their manifest
destiny. This proposition is proved
by the undeniable fact that those
Indians who have cut loose from
the government have progressed
far ahead of those who are still in
serfdom as it's wards.
This serfdom is greater re-
pr0ach to this nation than was the
slavery of the negro. The tenure
of the title to his lands, and the
holding of his funds by the gov
eminent are sometimes used to
coerce him into a compliance with
government requirements, thus
sapping independence and under
mining his character. Therefore,
if there be decadence in the man.
hood of the old Indians thus treat
ed, the government is responsible
and the government owes support
to those Indians it has ruined. and
education to their children to keep
them from being ruined also. Its
activities should stop there. The
very plan of the Indian Office to
encourage industry among the In
.dians by giving few favored
individuals the use of reimbursable
funds without interest is an en-
enlargement in the continuation
of unbusinessIile methods.
Everywhere there arc capable
and competent Indians who ought
to he free and independent citizens
today, but usually the office keeps
them chained to their stationary
cOtr bal members.
The proud, sensitive, high
s;r 777r Ind III III ten f e51s t t}1 at
for him and his lies not on this
side of the grave.
Tie young and middle aged
adult Indians should be given their
land and money and made citizens
Of America, and citizenship should
be conferred on the minors as faat
as they reach maturity.
If any squander their heritage,
It will be no more than our white
citizens do, and usually the school
of adversely alone confers a valu-
able civic education.
Turn such Indians loose now