The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-01-07

/ think you will find, gentlemen, that
my acts are protected by law" he
said. '"The virgin land lies there, in
habited by degenerate race, whose
one hope of salvation lay in amalga-
nation with the white race. An ig-
norant government, when land was
plenty and the tribe was larger, placed
certain restrictions on the reserva-
ton. When land became scarce, and
the tribe dwindled to handful, those
restrictions became wrong. 1t was
inevitable that the whites should
override them. Knowing that the
ethics Of my acts and those Of other
people would be questioned, l went to
congress to get these restrictions re-
moved. If another two years could
have elapsed, before these investiga-
tons had been begun, the fair name
Of Lake City never would have been
smirched." Levine's hand on the back
of his chair frightened as he looked
directly at Billy Norton.
Once more Lydia came to her feet.
"Oh, Mr.. Levine" she exclaimed,
don't put all the blame on Billy
Really, it's my fault. He wouldn't
have done 1t If hadn't agreed that II
was right. Oh, it is all my fault, "
she repeated brokenly, "all the trouble
that's come to Lake City"
Billy Norton jumped up. That's
blamed nonsense!" he began, when
Smith interrupted him, impatiently.
BE seated, Norton" Then, gently,
to Lydia, ''My dear, you mean that,
knowing what an investigation would
mean to the people you love, you
backed young Norton In instigating
one"
Eyes, sir" faltered Lydia.
"Can you tell US why?" asked Ell
way, still more gently.
Lydia twisted her hands uncom-
fortably and looked at Billy.
go ahead, Lyd," he said, reas'
suringly.
Because 1t was right" she said, fin
ally. "Because-Ducit Amor Patrias
you know, because no matter
whether the Indians were good or bad,
we had made promises to them and
they depended on u.s." She paused,
struggling for words.
Il did 1t because / felt responsible
to the country like my ancestors did,
In the Civil war and In the Revolu-
ton, TOTO take care of America, to
keep it clean, no matter how it hurt.
II couldn't be led by love Of coun-
try and see my people doing some
thing contemplate, something that
the world would remember against us
forever, and not try to stop it, no mat
ter how it hurt"
Trembling so that the ribbon at her
throat quivered, she looked at the
three commissioners, and sat down.
II suggest that we adjourn for
lunch," said Smith. Miss Dudley,
you need not return"
While her father paused to speak to
Kent and Levine, Lydia made her es-
cape.
She expected John Levine to come
home with her father to supper, and
for the first time In her life, she did
not want to meet her best loved
friend. But she might have spared
herself this anxiety, for Amos came
home alone. Levine was busy, he
said
To Lydia's pain and disappointment,
Levine did not come to the cottage
before he returned to Washington,
which he did the week following the
hearing. And then, all thought of her
status with him was swallowed up In
establishment over the revelations that
came out early In September when
Dave Marshall and the Indian agent
were called before the commission.
Dave Marshall was the owner of the
Last Chance! The Last Chance where
"hussies' lay In wait like vultures for
the Indian youths, took their govern
ment allowances, took their ancient
Indian decency, and cast them forth
to pollute their tribe with drink and
disease. The Last Chance The
headquarters for the illegal selling of
whisky to Indians. Where Indians
were taught to evade the law, to carry
whisky into the reservation and where
In turn the bounty for their arrest was
pledged to Marshall. The Last
Chance, the main source of Dave Mar
shall's wealth
Even Lake City was Mortified by
these revelations. People began to
remove their money from his bank and
for a time run was threatened, then
Dave resigned as president and the
run was stayed. The drug store
owned by Dave was boycotted. The
women of the town began to cut Mar
gerry and Elviry.
tTo BE coNTINUED)