The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1922-01-29
10 THE RED MAN

Formal but belated demand has been made by
the Society of American Indians that the red
men be released from government and tribal con-
troll and be permitted to enjoy the rights and
privileges of~other native-born Americans Rep
resentatives of the various Indian tribes claim,
with good cause, that the modern Indians possess
as high degree of intelligence and as great an
adaptablity for caring for themselves as at least
half a dozen groups that are now permitted to go
into the melting pot and come out full-fedged
citizens
Those who have given a careful study to the
Indian problem in recent years are inclined to
agree that the period for tutelage and government
patemalism has passed. Some even go to the
extent of urging that it is politics and not desire
to give especial attention to the welfare of the
Indians that keeps the present lndiaH Depart
ment and reservation system alive.
Admittedly some of the latest sinecures under
the government today are those in the Indian De-
partment. 1t is the rendezvous of the incompet-
ents While not all those connected with the
Indian Department are inefficient, it has come to
be recognized that there is a greater percentage
of incompetence in that department than in any
of the others. If there were no jobs to be filled
in connection with government supervision of the
Indian tribes it is possible that the tribal distinc
ton itself would soon disappear and the racial
distinction would disappear also.
Experience has shown that the Indians are as
simulated more readily than the negroes. They
prove excellent pupils in the public schools and
nearly all of them show excellent development
when given the opportunity Of securing a higher
education In American sports, where COM
bination of muscle and intellect are essential to
success. Indians have won rare distinction. Chief
Bender was one of the greatest pitchers In the
history of American baseball. Chief Myers form
ed with MathewsOn one of the greatest batteries
ever developed in the National League. jim
Thorpe another Indian, is one of the best all
round athletes known to American sports. The
fame of the Carlisle Indian football team will live
in the annals of that game. In fact a greater
percentage of Indian contenders have reached the
top in American sports than of any other race.
To deny a people possessing such capabilities
equal rights under our government is palpabe
Injustice The Indians themselves have pointed
out that, while hundreds of them fought in the
Civil War to free the negroes, their courage was
not rewarded by the freeing of the Indians them
selves Government control is little more than
slavery for the Indians and, as education is gen
orally diffused among them, it is not surprising
that they are demanding that they be freed from
political paternasm.
One of the duties of the Republican administra-
ton is to take up seriously the problem of grant
ing to the Indians emancipation from the present
government reservation system: Let the lands
held in trust for them be distributed as rapidly
as possible Let the public schools Of the country
be opened to them. Let us-in short-undo the
wrong that political paternalism has perpetrated.