The Holly chieftain., 1923-03-08

the Interior, the office of Indian affairs and
United States senator.
The purpose of this article Is not to pass judg-
ment on the merits Of the controversy. My SYM
pathy is with the Pueblos. But for obvious rea-
sons l shall not indorse the protestants who
charge in effect that the Bursum bill is "land
grab" nor shall indorse the bill as measure
drawn for the benefit Of the Indians as claimed
by Its supporters. Nor shall attempt to straight
en- out the complications Of the situation they
the outgrowth of century. shall merely attempt
to give some information about the controversy
and some of its features.
Said Chairman II. p Snyder of the house com.
mttee on Indian affairs: "a tremendous propa-
ganda has been carried on throughout the country
There has been nothing like 1t In Indian affairs, so
far as know. received, In three days. $50 tele-
grams stating that the senders were absolutely
opposed to the so-called BursumSnyder bill and
In favor OF the Leatherwood-J Jones bill"
Clippings from the news columns of newspapers
special articles, letters to the editor editorials:
articles In the periodicals and magazines, pam
phets and letters to members Of congress would
make scrapboOks by the carload. Addresses by
the score have been made before all sorts Of organ
izations resolutions have been passed by all sorts
OF associations. All sorts of people are active
artists, writer's. club women mountalneers, archie
oogists naturalists socologists; the list Is a
cross-section of American life
And yet to the student of the tlmes the upris-
Ing should not be surprising. There is similar
popular uprising every time the commercial Inter
ests try to break into the national parks through
congress. The truth Of the matter is that there
is now vast organized army of nature.loyers In
this country who have made up their minds that
birds and wild game and flowers and forests and
natural scenic beauty are to have a square deal
The Pueblos appeal to this army of nature-lovers
In many ways. aside from the question of n
square DEAL" which always interests the Amerl.
can people.
The Pueblos Of New Mexico are the father Of
agriculture and the mother of Irrigation Their
pyramid houses stand today as they stood long be-
fore there was an Englishspeaking resident in the
New World. Nowhere else in the world is there
ancient history so brought down to date Says
Herbert J. Spnden Of the Peabody museum. Har-
ward university:
one OF our most precious possessIons-we
should Keep 1T tenderly and proudly. In these
words Theodore Roosevelt characterized the arts
of life and beauty created out Of the painted tIes
erts of the Southwest by the Pueblo Indians and
our duty toward them. 1t was at Walpi
Homance Is the most valuable commodity I'm the
world today. A pale reflection of 1t on movny
picture screens makes vast business The tals
Of real emotions to be felt draws eager travellers
TO undertake long VOYAGES. Such a fine culture
as that Of the Pueblo Indians without doubt the
most complete expression Of stimulating gronn
psychology In arts and ceremonies to be found any
where In America, should be conserved with ten.
der care. 1t is an irreilaceable thing The best
crop of the Southwest is scenery, and the slogan
Our National Playground depends for much of
Its effect upon Indian connotatlon The Pueblo