Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-16

"TASHINGION, u. T., FEB. lZ.-The In
w dian is changing his blanket for
silk shirt. The younger Indians par
ticularly are turning with avidity to this
garment and the accompanying haberdash-
cry. Lots and lots of these original Ameri-
cans, once termed poor, scorn wearing a
shirt that costs less than SIS. The shirt
must be sufficiently colorful to please the
Indian eye, and the makers cannot go too
far in this direction.
Recently members of the House Commit
tee on Indian Affairs visited various Indian
reservations in the west, and found men and
women of the tribes developing a strong
taste for personal adOrnment affected by the
white race, but going beyond the preference
for subdued tones generally observed among
CaucaSians.
Officials of the Indian bureau here look
with favor upon substituting the habiliments
OF the white man for the blanket and nom
descript Indian costume of old. They do not
discourage these wards of the nation from
dressing themselves in up-to-date garments
even ii in doing SO they spend much of their
money on personal adornment instead of on
more substantial things which would tend
to show greater progress. The bureau Off
! Gals look upon the change as showing a
| tendency, particularly upon the part of the
younger generation, to abandon once and
| for all the old Indian regalia which has been
the tribal costume for centuries. The blanket
indian has been difficult problem for the
| Indian bureau for some time
Indian Oil NIi1lionaires
! II. e. Devendorf, for more than 20 years
clerk of the Indian Affairs committee of
| the house of representatives, is authority for
| the statement that it is chiefly among the
! rich Usage tribes in Oklahoma that the col
| ortul silk shirt is seen in most profusion.
| The Usage Indians are we'll able to indulge
| this or any other extravagant taste they may
cultivate: There are from 1900 to 1900 of
| Cnem with incomes varying Srom $4,000 to
| $IO,OOO month, derived from royalty pay-
ments on oil lands to which they hold title.
Like Indians throughout the country, the
| Osages are not exempt from the general In
dian conviction that money is meant to
| spend. They spend it for anything that will
| brlng them pleasure. Indian bureau officials
say that the mere act of spending money is
source OF joy to many Indians.
| Automoblles are in great demand among
the newly rich Indians, and they like speed
! Inc Indian is good driver, too In the level
prairie country of Oklahoma there are many
| long stretches of good roads, where the In
dian driver can "step on 'er'' and indulge his
| craving for speed to his hearts content
Ihere are notably few accidents in which
| 1ndlan motorists figure. However, where
whisky enters into the equation, the Indian.
| like his white brother, seems to court iron.
| pie on the high road, and has no trouble in
finding plenty of it,
| Hundred-Mile Taxi Ride
AN 1nst~Ace OF Indian disregard of money
1
springs taken last summer by a party of
rIch Osages. They chartered six Pullman
cars, spent most of the summer in good no.
tells, and returned in private Pullmans. But
| ABOUT 100 miles from home ole of the In
! dlans, WIN enjoys an income from oil lands
amounting to several thousands of dollars
month, got tired of riding on the train
lie aIlght6d, hired a taxicab, and drove the
rest OF the way in it. His taxi bill amounted
TO $3.50, which he paid without murmur
| Legislation is before congress designed to
| give full citizenship to the Indian. DR., JOS
eph Kossuth Dixon, Of Philadelphia, has
| been active before the Inu..n committees of
| congress- pointing out that although citizen
snip appears to be given to the Indian with
| the allotments of public lands, there is a
string to it. A patent to the land in fee sim
| pie is not granted until 25 years have
elapsed, so that the Indian owner is kept
from citizenship for that length of time.
Sioux Indian presented himself at reg
lstration booth for the selective draft during
the late war.
| Are you an alien?" he was asked.
mo, I was born in the United States :" he
replied.
I Then you are ctizen?"
mo, [ am not citizen"
What are you?''
! Il am an Indian. Although I was born
in the United States, I have not the rights
| of an alien, nor have I the rights of citizen.
My father is a full blooded Sioux chief. l
am a male between the ages Of 81 and 81,
and must present myself for military serv-
/ ice''
The draft board was puzzled for time.