The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-01-30
RY BRUCE CATION
Succial CorrpSu0ndpnt1

tSpctIaI SOTrcSponGeHll
Pawhuska, Okla, Jan. 3O.-At the
San Francisco exposition in 1915
there was n striking bit of statuary
on the esplanadc, looking out toward
the golden gate.
1t was called "Thc End Of the
Trail" II showed a weary, exhaust
horse. The horse could hardly stand ;
the Indian could just keep his seat.
The point Of his long lance touched
the ground.
There was unimaginable pathos in
it. You felt, somehow, that it typi-
fled the plight of the red man in
America--drlven west, year by year,
from his old ranges, until ut the last
there was nothing left but sunset
and death
And you get something of the same
feeling, here in Pawhuska, studying
the Notwithstanding Usage nation,
richest people on earth.
Only, in this case. the sense of ro-
nance and dignity that the famous
statue gave is lacking. The Osages
are coming to the end of the trail
without honor. The glamour of the
gay old west still fingers here, but
the Indians do not share in it. The
end is disappointing, undramatic.
The Open Spaces
There is something inspiring and
heartening about the great reaches
of the Usage hills. League upon
league. they stretch away to the hori-
Zon, tossed in careless waves with
here and there a striking flat-topped
butte to serve as landmark. There
are no trees. Only coarse grass
grows. 1t is desolate and forsaken
and yet strangely attractive. There
is something open and untamed
about these hills. They seem a fit
home for the unfettercd Indian of
tradition.
Once the Osages lived here with
out the presence Of the white man to
complicate matters. There were buff
1aio ana antelope on the rolling
prairies then, and the muscular.
hronzed young men rode in wild pur-
suit on half-tamed ponies with shay
gy names. Unenlightened and ig
norant, no doubt--buti free. strong
and self reliant.
Then the white men came. The
story Of the Osages was the same as
the stories of other Indian tribes.
One by one the traces of their old
freedom fell away. not without blood
shed, for the Osages area branch Of
the dreaded Sioux, and they used
tomahawk and bow bravcly in the
unequal combat. But it wasn't long.
Worthless Land
They were given their ancestral
acres AS Il reservation chiefly be-
cause the land was thought the most
worthless in all Oklahoma.
Then oil was discovered, and they
became wealthy.
And that was the beginning of the
end
Like everything received under the
rule Of the white men, it has prov
ed a doubtful blessing.
Gone are the colorful old tepees
from the Usage hills, discarded for
conventional. jerry-built bungalows.
Gone are the athletic young riders Of
ycstcrd ay-1the "bucks" drive Cadil-
lacs and Marmons now. The tribe
still has chief--but the white mans
government has him under rigid re-
strictions. There are still wild, law
less men in the Usage hills-but not
one is an Indian.
Fifteen years ago there were 1929
full-blooded Osages. Now there are
less than 500 In 20 years there will
ardly be one.
A Dying Nation
The Osages are dying-dying amid
untold wealth that they do not know
how to use-dying half century
after the romance and color Of their
race flickered out. The end of the
trail finds only fat, stolid burgner.
well-fed, but dull.
And still, on dark winter night.
you drive to the top of hill. out
side the town and listen as the night
wind sweeps in from the treeless
prairie; and it seems that you can
hear, distantly, the far thud Of hoofs
on turf and the wild yells of an UNI
seen hunting party as the last OF the
old-time redskins whirl over the rise
mot bothered with the useless
wealth of the modern Indian, but
gloriously, magnificently free.
Then you turn hack. The cement
roadway is lighted by the glare of
auto headlights. A huge sedan
whirls past. with fat, stupid Indian
lollinr in the back seat.