The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-07-26

lnOlCaClOn CtlaG Cuc ulOlutnI oil Ill
dian is given a position in the
government service he loses his
independence as stated in Wassaja,
the magazine published by Doctor
Montezuma the noted Apache In
dian.
But it was just retribution that
the Agency's allies turned traitors
to the former, for Agency em-
pIoyees arc entirely outside of
their sphere when they interfere
in tribal councils in favor of one
faction as against another.
The former allies Of the Agency
had no sooner gained control of
the situation than they abandoned
the warehouses; and Agency
| forces, and took action to try and
put the latter out of their positions
by passing the resolution to abol-
ish the Indian office. A fair. open
and above board fight is always
clean and must command the res
pect of persons who take neutra!
positions, but an underhanded,
deceitful one no decent, self re.
specting man would countenance.
While it is quite probable that
none of the anti Agency forces
will have any sympathy whatever
with the Agency employees for the
manner in which their late allies
treated them and the warehouses;
at the Bemidji council, the allies
have not succeeded in gaining the
respect of anyone by their actions.
The ToMAHAwK has frequently
taken occasion to criticise the In
dian office for its policies towards
Indian tribes, but whenever it did
have anything to say it did SO
openly and without mincing words.
It has never said anything that it
has not first obtain-d the evidence
to substantiate. 1t has also re-
| peatedIy advocated the reorganiza-
ton of the Indian office SO that the
viciouspess of some of the super
intendents would be properly.
punished, and that the Office might
deal justly with the Indians; and
that the head of the bureau and
not the su5ordinates would estab-
lish its policies, but it has never
believed that the time had come to
abolish the office entirely. But it
does believe that the Office should
be thoroughly reorganized along
the lines proposed by the Curtis
bill which is now pending in Con-
gress. >
Senator Curtis bill was evident
ly prepared TO cover all the defects
in the Indian service, and it is one
which the Indian delegates who
we're in Washington when it. was
introduced favored.
To abolish the Indian Office en-
tirely would be like severing the
head from the body of an animal
and expect it to live. The individ-
ual rights of the Indians are usual
" we'll protected by the Indian
Office, but it is the superintenents
and the field service generally that
frequently speculate with indlvid
ual Indian funds. With Indian
tribal funds the office is not so
careful, and the abuse with regard
to these are the numerous positions
created in the Indian service the
exorbitant salaries of which are
| paid from these funds.
The most prosperous and en-
/ lichteHed Indians of the northwest
live upon this reservation, but 1t
does not require attention to be
called to specific cases to convince
any one that even many of the
members Of this reservation need
the supervisory care of the lnuian
office. At Leech Lake, Red Lake,
Winuebegosish, Cass Lake, Nett
Lake and even at Cloquet major
! ity still require governmental sup
eryision over their affairs, among
the full bIoods especially and min
ors. Had this been called to the