The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-11-13
.PUEBL0S IN SAD
PLIGHT; ASK AID.
Conservation Agent Says
Bill Would Destroy the
Several Tribes

Her. representing the department OF
Indian conservation OF the National
Federation Of Women's clubs, spoke
here before the New Mexico fedora
ton az follows.
Arizona has the Grand Canyon
and New Mexico has tho Pueblo
Indians. The Grand Canyon is the
worlds greatest wonder. but II is
not more unique. II Is not more
beautiful, than the strange pueblo
towns and tho strange, gentle and
powerful life that Is lived In these
towns which are as old. perhaps. as
Rome or Jerusalem.
pf the congress Of tho United
states. Influenced by ignorance or
stupidity or greed. Stated to pdss a
law whose effects would be 10 de-
stroy the Grand Canyon the whole
state OF Arizona would rise up
against the proposal There would
be a national uprising.
VIII Break Up Puchlos.
Rut congress has actually started
To- destroy tho New Mexico pueblos,
Tho law which will destroy them has
been passed by tho senate and will,
II It's advocates have power enough,
be driven through the house OF rep-
rescntativoE IN December. And
scarcely word OF protest II heard.
That proposed law will break up
the Indian puoblos. II will turn
the Pueblo Indians out to wander
homeless like the California tribes
which we're made homeless by con-
Cress and then left TO starvo until
they actually did starve by tens OF
thousands II viii deprive New
Mexico OF It's most distinguishing
treasure and break The hearts and
ultimately kill the bodies OF the
5000 Pueblo Indians When the
facts become known to tho public
there will arise q protest as strong
as n the Grand Canyon were going
10 he destroyed.
This proposed law has tho inno-
cent title of senate bill 1855. IL IL
now pending before the Indian af-
fairs committee OF the house Of REP
rcscntatives.
The proposed law Is elaborate and
technical In It's verbiarc. Its In
tent and effect are simple enough.
II leRalizes the thousa nds OF tres
passes on the pueblo lands. whether
the treEpass was established a hum
dred years ago or yesterday or be-
tween now and the dav the presi-
don't signs the bill. There ara a
certain number OF ancient titles to
the pueblo lands which are held by
Indians In good taith. Every
body, including the Indians. agrees
that these bona fide claims ought
TO he confirmed,
Makes Clean Sweep.
There are thousands of claims
that have no color OF title what
ever, and that frequently do not
To-, aI
use of the lands claimed. This pro-
posed law makes ono clean sweep
and iegalizes the bona fide and the
fraudulent claims alike, the ancient
and the contemporary claims, and
even tho trespasscs which are being
established today by adventurous
who expect that the hill will become
law.
A few cases will show what this
law will do 10 the pueblos II II is
enacted san Juan pueblo has 1000
irrigable acres. All but 5ss acres
have been taken by non Indians
and on these 5sS acres $50 indians
are struggling to live. The proposed
law makes permanent ana legal the
above seizure OF land and removes
the water rights OF the pueblo from
government protection,
Picuris pueblo, with several thou
sand acres under irrigation, has
been deprived Of all but 40 irrigated
acres. and 100 Indians are living
or. rather. are slowly dying on this
tiny rancho. all that Is left OF tho
grant which was solemnly made ny
them by congress In President Lin
coins day. These plcuris Indians
have tho document signed by Presi.
dent Lincoln guaranteeing them
their land, but non-Indians have the
land
Deprived OF Water.
Tesudue pueblo has been Illegal
~ deprived Of It's water This pu-
cblo. which for 1000 years has
lived by farming, does not now aCt
10 per cent of its living from the
land The proposed law makes It
Impossible for these Indians, or the
government, their guardian, even TO
get their water claims Into court;
II bestows the water forever on
those who have seized It from tho
Indians.
So II goes. through every one Of
the 90 pueblos speooed by name
in the proposed law. Only Zuni, In
the extreme west. has escaped the
land grabbers, but Zunl also is in
cluded in this omnibus bill which
could be described as bill for
,eioctlng the Indians from their
homes.
Tho bill does not stop with the
economic ruin OF the pueblos
through deprivlng them forever Of
their indlspensa BILE land and water.
II goes further and s'rlkes blow
III their moral ana spiritual life,
Heretofore. and at present, these
pueblos have been governing,
subject 10 such interferences. as the
bureau Of Indian affairs might deem
wise. The bureau OF Indian affairs
is supported a. a coEt Of tl4,000,000
year TO look after the Indians.
This proposed law takes the over
sight Of the pueblos' internal affairs
out Of the hands OF the bureau ana
throws it into the federal courts,
guarantees free legal service to the
dlsgruntlcd member OF the tribe
who may want 10 drag the whole
tribe into court. and opens tho way
for legal battles waged clear up
through the suprc me court of the
United States. dealing with questions
which can only be settled iutelli-
gently by resident administrator
trained in handling OF Indians.
Condition of Terror.
In tho past six weeks IShave Wis
tied II OF tho 20 New Mexico pu-
eblos. find condition of distress
and terror among the Indians IN
each one without exception. These