The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1919-06-02


Seminolcs. They were here in per-
sonson. How many years they may
be seen we know not. Supervisor
James E. Brandon is now in Florida
looking into their tribal life and ply.
steal condition and upon his report
to Cato Sells will derend immediate
government action. They have been
given 100000 acres Of swamp, water
and land on the southwest coast
known as "The Thousand Islands"
AS is human and natural they do not
wish to again be told to move on"
for their dead lie buried in the
Everglades. They are moral,
happy and contented people now,
and they should not be obliged to
again give up their sacred homes.
They have grown from the remnant
of those left when the last emigra.
ton was forced, from less than 200
to nearly 600, and from back Of Mi
ami west Of Fort Lauderdale, the Cow
Creek band near Fort Drum west Of
Stuart to the band in the Big Cypress,
They are peaceful and law abiding
Frank E. Brandon a Shawnee chief
from the department of the Interior
in United States Indian service was
in town over night not long ago and
in answer to what is being done for
the Seminoles by the Government
says:
You are familiar with their oppo-
sition and suspicion of the Govern
ment; as result they are slow to
accept favors.
The Government has issued an in.
vitation to the Seminoles to come to
the 1900 acres of land held for their
use and that labor at LIBERAL days
wages will be paid for their work in
cutting posts, building shelter houses,
erecting fences, clearing and putting
new land in cultivation hauling sup.
plies, etc.
"The matter is being put up to
them on basis of man to man, no
charity or superior attitude assumed
by the Government representatives;
the business is based on common
horse sense, frim which hero worship
and mysticism has been expelled.
There is some progress but the
development Of confidence is slow.
1t is matter that the Government
has checked up to the Indians; 1t
remains for the Seminole to demon
strate his ability to recognize an
honest offer in his behalf and his
business judgment to accept II as
such.
The Government stands ready now
to establish schools for the Indians
if they will receive them. The In.
dams are opposed to education, es.
pecially the old element who govern.
1t is d long, tedious work that must
be accomplished by building on a
foundation of mutual confidence
which is now in the formative stage,
until this natures, nothing Of per-
manent Importance can be accom-
plished by either tn Government or
the Seminoles." 81
The above is unvarnished truth
about the present condition Of affairs
between the red man of florida and
the Great Father at Washington.
Those who know the Indian, at home
untarnished with the studied dishon-
esty of the white man since his
grandfathers days know straight
forward naturally human being. As
the writer grew up with them their
virtues are an endless story. Also
Their cussedness after they learn to
do as the white man does. And re-
member they can copy deviltry faster
than a Chinaman and steal ideas
faster than a German tradesman.
Out in the Everglades west of
Stuart at Indian Town there are
about 40 Seminoles of the Okeecho-
bee Camp. Every year they have a
green corn dance where they make
laws and 1t is different from the
hunting dance where they arrange
matters about getting married At
the last green corn dance they disa.