The Glenwood post., 1923-05-31
uacIe Tets Bed Time Stories
Current Events for tho Children
and Gzown-ups, Too
UNCLE SAM AND
THE AMERICAN INDIAN

"And weren't those feathers won
derfulf' exclaimed Jack, who was
talking about the Indians he had seen
at the circus that afternoon. Some
day Pm going to have a head-gear
just like the one that big chief wore."
"Did you enjoy the circus?" asked
Jack S mother.
"You bet I did, mother. Uncle Ted
showed us everything. We saw the
side shows, the big show and then we
stayed for what 1 enjoyed the most
of all. That was the wild west with
Indians m everything"
"Anybody would think that there
was nothing but Indians at the circus
to hear you talk said Ruth.
They were interesting all right"
said Uncle Ted. ''I wonder how you
would like to have story about the
Indians?''
"That would be great replied the
kiddies.
"This story was brought to my
mind by reading about what. Secretary
of the Interior Work has done regard
ing those wards of Uncle Sam. You
see the bureau of Indian affairs comes
under the interior department and is
in charge of a man by the name of
Charles H. Burke, the Indian commits
sioner This bureau looks after all
the affairs of the American Indian.
The Indians live on reservations in
several states and are under the di-
rect charge of the federal government
until each one of them Individually
proves that he or she is capable of
citizenship. Then he is given his
freedom and whatever money belongs
to him from his land is turned over
and it is up to him to make his own
way. Many of these 100000 Indians
on the reservations still object to
Uncle Sam looking after their welfare,
taken care Of Formerly they Were
dealt with as tribes, but now each one
is dealt with as an individual and by
the distribution of lands, etc, to each
one they have been saved millions of
dollars.
Gone interesting point in handling
the property of these Redmen is that
in the past the majority, not being
able to write, were allowed, when
signing papers, to make simply a
mark. Later, if the Indian didn It
like what the papers said, he could
say he didn't make the mark. Now
thumb prints are made so that there
can be no mistakes, because no two
thumb prints are alike. And would
you kiddies believe that after seeing
those Indians today, there are more
than 10000 of them who still wear
their blankets and featheres Of
course, the full-blooded Indian are
gradually thinning out, but the aggre-
gate population is growing.
''You remember we read the other
day that Henry Ford is the richest
man in the world, but the richest peo-
pie in the world, on an average, are
probably the Usage Indians. When
this tribe was intact it consisted of
$3.50 persons owning about 100000
acres of wonderful farming land. Be
sides that they had cash to the amount
Of about $1o,oOoOoO. When the law
was changed each one was given $50
acres of land and about $4,000 in cash.
"Now to get back to where I start
ed. There are always big problems
dealing with the Indian and for that
reason Secretary Work recently in
vited about $50 friends of the Amer
can Indian to form a non sectarian
and non partisan body to act as an
advisory council to the department of
the interior on Indian problems. This
group of men and women will make n
thorough investigation and study of
everything connected with the Indians.
In fyrmng this body Secretary Work
said:
90 The interests of the Indians
are becoming more important; the
problems confronting the govern
ment in properly and justly deal
ing with the various tribes, their
lands and claims against the gov