The Coconino sun., 1923-08-31
PFEIFER SAYS A MOJTHFJL IN ANSWER To-
Mr.. JAMES, ADOPTED SON OF H0PI CHIEF

a time to them, and ! apprehend that
religion, however crude, is better than
no religion; those who will not ac-
cept the Christian religion, would
not molest in their own, but I do want
them to progress, and, thank the
good Lord, they are progressing IN
spite Of the propagandeTs and the
good, but mis- guided propagandicists,
who get their inspiration from read
ing "musty" records, secondhand pro-
paganda, and by making a few hasty
visits to the reservations, and then,
having learned all there is to learn,
like magpies hurry out to tell the
world about things that really never
happened, or il part of some of them
did, not in the way Mr.. Indian KNEW
it happened. They can look on, and
look on, and look on again, and listen
at, and listen in, as much as they Will,
and tell and be told as much as they
may, and then flatter themselves that
they understand the significance Of
all they see and hear-that they know
the Indian and what he's driving 1t,
but they're sadly mistaken for the
Indian Just lets them in on what he
doesn't care about, and for the rest of
it he lust feeds them taffy, laughing
IN his sleeve all the time, and aloud
to his friends, when they are gone.
Yet these people who would disrupt
the Indian bureau, who violate the
rules of the interior department often
bv going ON the reservation without
permission and hear the soreheads
fhaINa fhn11.
complaints, know more about the In
dian and his needs than those who
have spent years in the service on the
reservation trying to understand the
Indian and to help him help himself.
I suppose they would say it is their
superior itelligenee that enables them
to do this.
He says the 'sbungling" Indian bu-
reau is trying to break up the Hopl
Indian tribe as 1t has other tribes. 1t
isn't true-not a word of it; neither
is it true that the commissioner OF
Indian affairs is trying to make them
give I'D any good thing, or anything
that is good in their customs--Wlleth-
er it be ceremonies, dancing, tradition
or what not All he has ever asked
them to do is to discontinue those
dances that are not good for the In
dians, OF not to unduly prolong their
dances to the neglect of their stock
and crops. |, one Of the "parasitical
individuals" to which he refers, say
it to him in his teeth. Mono, I'm
not angry-no, Just sorely peeved. Do
/ want to make Mr.. Honawauna mad!
No, he can keep his tenper--I don't
need it. What conservative thing is
he going to put in place of the Indian
bureau when he destroys at What
efficient sort of institution is he GO
ing to set up-what constructive pro-
gram carry out? .Plsht.
/ deny that the Indian bureau is In
efficient, or has not done, and is not
doing its duty by the Indians. 1t sent
out circular not long since showing
long list of the good things it has
done and is doing, in spite Of this
propaganda which is trying to dis
credit it. Of course, it, as any other
human institution, has made, does and
will make mistakes, and it has inef-
ficients, just as all organizations hui
man or inhuman, as he would have
the public think the Indian bureau Is.
He says "it has been easy for the In
dian agents to show favoTitisn1 IN
order to break down the Hopi's Hld
Indian customs. Notice how specious-
lv he puts this. But as it is, it is
little short Of libel on the agents. Let
him show one instance and prove It
| have my first one to find who show
ed favoritism in the way in which he
speaks. To be sure, they want, ano
are directed to help and encourage the
returned student in every way they
can that is fair and legitimate, for
often the returned student is perse-
cuted by the conservatives if he tries
to pat in practice the things he has
learned in school and sometimes ever
ostracised. Contrary to the inference
he would have the public draw thai
they are crooked must say they
rank high as men of integrity and ef
fieiency. True, once in a great while
the wrong kind get in, but it's not thu
| Indian bureaus fault. 1t usei
all the safeguards at It's command +
get good men in. And they generally
are good, capable men of discretion
and honor, having the welfare Of thu
! Indians in their charge at heart.
| But of course there are klckeri
among the Indians-those who do no
make good themselves, and do no
want those over them to make goot
| in their task of trying to make thu
Indian an asset to the government
And, to be sure, the oldtimer conser
vative has no use for the white MAJ
or his way-not even for Mr.. James
whose ways as we'll as those of hi'
| friends who would reform the lndiai
bureau and its ways, would be al