The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-06-11
THE INDIANS ELEVENTH HOUR

THE INDIANS ELEVENTH HOUR
One of Americas most distinguished women is visit
Ing Bismarck this week in Mrs Gertrude Bonnin,
thor prominent in the work Of the National Federation
Of Women's clubs.
Mrs. Bonnin is full-bood Sioux, born in tepee,
of Yankton Sioux parents who relatives Of Sitting
Bull.
Her charming books, American Indian Stories, which
appeared first in the Atlantic Monthly, and Old Indian
Legends illustrated by Angel DEBORAH, well known.
Her work in the National Federation Of Women's
clubs resulted in that splendid body interesting itself
In welfare work among Indians She is Americas most
distinguished Indian woman president Of the Ma
tional Council Of American Indians.
To her people Mrs. Bonnn is what Shashuma Tagore,
who seeks take the Little Red Schoohouse to india
Is to the Hindu The Tribune prints interesting in
terview with Mrs. Bonnn today.
She declares Indian reservations the most un-
American spot in America. She four detectives in
Indian welfare work and she declares that the story Of
,the Vanishing American is true and that the Indian is
literally at the End of the Trail
The detectives she proper educational
facilities, adequate health SERVICE conservation Of
Indian and sympathetic administration Of
Indian affairs.
Mrs. Bonnin is herself the best proof Of what may be
accomplished for the Indian by education She left
,these Dakota prairies child of with memories
Of the cries of Indian mothers in the hills along the
Missouri river the passing of to be
ieorgotten. She back to them today educated,
cultured refined able advocate Of the rights Of
her people, numbered among the truly great women of
the world
So much has education. the best solution of every
social problem, done for the girl who left the tepse.
Shashuma Tagore, Hindu woman. whose work for her
people has commanded worldwide admiration, now in
tAmerca for study Of primary and secondary educa-
tiona methods, pointed out time ago that more
imoney is spent annually In maintaining Columbia uni
versty than is spent annually for the education of all
the teeming millions Of India.
Yet in North Dakota alone there are $50 Indian chill
dren who Of school age who have never had school
: facilities
This probably is most conservative statement Of
the fact. It is we'll known that aged Indians suffer
tmuch, that manutriton is claiming deadly toll and
lthat disease steadily is decimating the race.
], What we have done to his resources is a
story written large in the record Of stealing his pine,
toll and allotments Of land We repeating rather
snercilessly here an old story.
It is the story Of the clash between the PHILOSOPHERS
Cf barbarsm and civilization, pointed by Dr. hansen
J IN his fine book 1.-THE Esquimaux People"
Sentimental interest toward the Indian and his well
flare has been greater than today We are moved
~ tragedy being enacted before our eyes, but we
have been moved sufficiently to do much about it.
Mrs. Bonnin points that this is the eleventh hour
FOR the Indian It is not yet too late. The survey
the United States senate committee covering Indian
saffairs is getting under way at time when there is
more sympathetic interest for the Indian and his prob
lens than before 1t will be thorough and it will
get the facts. For the Indian is the hopeful
eign in many years.
2 II am Indian" says Mrs. Bonnin today in her in.
terview in The Tribune II believe in the Great Spirit
il believe in a religion Of universal brotherhood and
#HnVivo LOVE- $a,~ al
fires of my people in the great out-of-doors at night
beneath the mystery Of the stars. There we were close
I to the infinite"
that be Paganis all Of us can afford to make the
1ncst Of it.
Bismarck will be privileged this week to hear Mrs.
Bonnn speak on Indian affairs. It will be a rare
\ privilege, for she is brilliant woman.