Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-03
EASTERHER SAYS
BURSUM INDIAN
BILL IS UNJUST
Takes From Them the Land
That They Have Rescued
From the Desert, Accord.
ina to Harvard Man


museum, Harvard University, writ
ing in the New York Times, de-
clares that "the Bursum Indian
land bill, which slipped through
the senate, should not be allowed to
pass the house for reasons, first, of
common justice to wards Of the
nation; second, Of material advan-
tages to New Mexico and the entire
southwest" His article follows:
"One OF our most precious pos
sesslons-we should keep it tender
ly and proudly" In these words
Theodore Roosevelt characterized
the arts of life and beauty created
out of the painted deserts OF the
Southwest by the Pueblo Indians
and our duty toward them. II was
at Walpi. We had seen the Ante.
lope race and had watched old
Nampeyo paint magic on pots and
at that moment were filled with the
immemorial drama of the snake
dance. These ceremonial prayers
for rain--to desert people water
means life-had struck a chilling
note of unacceptable sincerity in the
heart OF the most frivolous obserV.
ed. And now, after centuries OF
struggle and survival, the end OF
this beautiful and stimulating In
dian life is in sight, at least in the
State of New Mexico, for white men
who vote want the pitiful trickles
of water and the slender strips OF
irrigated greenness which the In
dams cultivated.
The Bursum Indian land bill
(senate bill $3.50, which slipped
through the senate, should not be
allowed to pass the house for rea-
sons, first, of common justice to
wards of the nation; second, OF
material advantages to New Mexico
and the entire southwest, The ''ea'
sons of material advantage, which
| wish to- stress, are vastly more
important than the small parcels
Of Indian lands involved.
SO many portions of this bill are
iniquitous that amendments are i'm
possible, but critical attention
should be focused upon section s
which plans to give a clean title tc
recent trespassers upon lndiar
lands, and this means trespasser'
upon the scanty water supply ant
small acreage under irrigation, no
upon the open range. Outwardly
this section gives clean title to per
sons and corporations occupying
Indian lands who present claim
running back ten years before Jun'
20, 1910, on secondary evidence
But these claims are to be accepted
at their maximum Of recent en-
croachment, according to- survey
| made in 1914-19l6 in planned de
fense of Indian rights. Such claim
ants, with or without color OF title
shall be entitled to a deere,
in their favor for the whole of th'
lands so claimed and the dis 'ic
court shall in its decree segregat
the said land from the said Puebl'
L grant. ="
1t Is true that an arrangement !
suggested to give lieu lands to TIL
Indians from other parts of TIL
public domain or to recompensa
tion in cash. But ii is well know
that there are no open public land
containing water, and II is also wei
known that the money paid to tn
Indians and disbursed through tn
Indian office would be no adequat
return for the loss OF a means o
livelihood through agriculture. 1t
notorious that practically no waite
is now allowed to reach the India
fields in several villages near SAINT
Fe, being drawn from the uppe
courses of the streams in spite 3
prior rights Of the Indian villages
Starvation and disease have Gu
down the population, but tn
diminution of usable lands ha
more than kept pace with the de
crease in population. The San Jua
Pueblo grant, for instance, is 1900
acres, of which 1000 are irrigable
OF this last amount S,143 acres ar
in the hands OF adverse claimant
and only 5S8 acres left to suppoI
430 Indians.
There are a few cases in whic
the adverse claimants have some
thing to be said for them and sue
cases should be decided on the
merits. Perhaps the same lieu Ian
and recompensation idea could |
applied to them instead of to IL
Indians. But most of the claim
are sheer steal, based upon I
higher ethics than might MAKE
right.
Romance is the most valuab
commodity in the world today.
! pale reflection of 1t on moving pi,
. ture screens makes vast bushes
The tale of real emotions to be fe
draws eager travellers to undertal
long voyages. Such a fine cultul
as that of the Pueblo Indians, will
out doubt the most complete G,
? preston of stimulating gror
psychology in arts and ceremopi
) to be found anywhere in Americ
should be conserved with tend
care. 1t is an irreplaceable thin
The best crop of the southwest
, scenery, and the slogan "Our M
| tional Playground" depends f
I much of its effect upon Indian CO..
: notation. The Pueblo villages a
D famous; musicians go to study Il
: songs, painters to portray the Ii
! -and the petty produce of Il
g small fields turned into the po
: kets OF men who vote will not g
: rich the state or the nation.
Yet the Bursum Indian land bl
!. which is totally iniquitous, pass,
u the senate. May public opini'
E stop the hand OF the lower bran,
u OF congress.
! Wheat, rice. millet. sorghum, al