The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1923-11-01

or apparent new cause, the Ameri.
can is slowly awakening to the
fact that in one instance, perhaps
the only one, in dealing with the
Red Man of America. be has
failed; he has been unfair. That
great gentlemrn, Uncle Sam, is
getting nervous. Deeply in
thought, he is reviewing the
American history from the time of
Columbus to this date; but this
time in a new light. Slowly, but
surely, he commences to realize
that be is guilty of a great injus
tice to the natives of.this land.
Few of US know the extent of
degradation into which the native
Indian Of America has been
plunged by the white man, since
his arrival here. Few of US stop
to consider what has become of
the native Indian, his land, liberty,
customs, wisdom and all that is or
was sacred to him. The limited
or amusing reference to the Ameri-
can Indians, as evidenced in our
schools, portrays them as perfect
wild men, at war every day in the
year. Of the present day native
Indians we hear little and see
almost nothing. Even the news
papers nave forgotten him. Pc
litically informed we are guided
to believe that the American In
dian of today has land, comfort,
education, etc., living in abund
ance and fine surroundings, we'll
provided for by our government.
Unfortunately. the truth is that
the descendants of this great red
race, now pathetically reduced in
number and circumstances, are
today living III most abject condi
tions, utterly unfit for any human
beings in the United States.
WITHOUT CITIZENSHIP, as
INCOMPETENT WARDS (9) of
our Government, they are herded
on reservations, where, aimless,
discouraged, useless to themselves
and the world, they offer a pitiful
sight of dormant, retrograding
humanity. There, as actual prison
ers, with little or no nope left
they are living merely in the bis
tory of their great past, the pres.
ent worthless, the future-in the
next world-safely left in the care
of the Great Mystery.
No longer do we, (they and us)
meet as men or nations. No long,
er do we meet with them in COUP
ellis where tney pass the peace pipe
around, for we are peacefully"
at war. The quasi servitude, des-
titution, aud degradation Into
which the paleface has plunged
chem is an unfortunate record in
the actual history of the United
States, a fact which the native In
dian cannos readily forget. For
too many reasons we are at war;
they. on the defensive, fighting
our crashing numerical superiority
and our superior means of modern
lighting with true Indian contempt,
reserve and silence. ..
Their natural honesty, modesty.
pride and other racial qualities
have not always been to the In
dams advantage. Indeed, the
white man, always misinterpreting
him, would attribute their silence
to cowardice, fear and Ignorance;
and to keep them on the muddy
trail that brought them and mired
them WHARF they are today. Per-
haps, had they had less pride to
ask, complain or lament; less dis
gust for complex political in.
trigues, and more material aspira
tions, they would be today respect.
ed, progressive citizens, surely as
capable as any naturalized citizens
who have come here from foreign
lands. Had they taken the pains
to organize, and put aside their