Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-05
BIZ L. S. C0NNESS.

WASHINGTON stands a monument
which recalls memories that so
far back before the DAYS OF its
erection in 1924. that of Pushmataha,
Indian warrior and statesman, held
By many 10 be the greatest OF sn has
race known 10 white men, and honoreo
6; the time Of his death with mill
tary funeral accorded only those ranS,
ing as cenerai officers Of the United
States Arlny--the sole red man in his
tory 10 have been accorded sucE trio-
Ute.
Leader Of the Choctaws. who fought
under Gen. Andrew Jackson IN The
battle OF New Orleans III 1872. and
again with Gen. Sam Houston III the
sngagenlent at Horseshoe Bend, he play
ea no small part in bringing victory
10 the American forces. ty his leader
ship. against the British and their al
lies the Greeks. Sem!no.sS and Shaw
neeS. the last mentioned urged On oy
their famous chief. TecGmSeh. When
the latter attempted 10 gain entrance
OF the ChoctawS to his Indian fedora
ton. with the purpose OF sweeping the
white settlers in what is now Georgia.
Alabama and Mississippi, off the map,
his famed eloouerce met its match in
that OF PllSllmataha. The latter S Wen
ce-flll mastery Of language vas after
ward described by Gen. Sam Dale as
follows:
Il have heard all the orators Of this
repUb.ic-Indian and whit'~-ou; Push
n,a;aha is the greatest orator I ever
heard HIS voice was 50 rhytlm!cal The
Indians called it waterfall.
'Pusllnataha would have adorned
the United States Senate. and had he
been a member OF the Senate, where
his savings could have bcen preserved.
pos:eriiy would look upon him as we
look upon the Greek statesmen"
But :; was not as a warrior. nor as
an orator that this Indian chief i:ade
his greatest bid for glory. It was as a
cIplonat In this field. he was as fear
less as in battle. daring TO give the lie
- 50 violent temper as inat o. the
fre-eatirlg Jackson and then 10 back his
words and finally come out as the VIC
tor in his struggle for his people. He
realized that the land occupied by his
race in Mississippi was being overrun
b. t:le whites and that a move TO the
West was the only way in which they
might continue to live in peace. and
between 1914 and 1920 spent thrte years
IN the exploration of Oklahoma. going
as far west and north as the head
waters OF the WaSilita and Canadian
rivers. the later rising in Colorado
Then. thoroughly enforced by his per-
sonal knowledge of the territory. he
met with Gems. Jackson and Kinds.
who represented the United States, to
bargain Tor the purchase of the country
between the Canadian and Red Rivers,
n return for the Indian lands i'll MS
s.ssippi
Jackson offered 10 the Choctaws the
territory bounded as follows: From a
OF SflHw
The mouth of Little River. thence north
10 the Canadian River. thence up said
river 10 its source. thence south to Red
River, thence down that river TO the
place of beginning" This. in the eyes
OF the United States representatives.
comprised nothing but western desert.
But Pushmataha knew more OF the
territory than did the white man, for.
according TO the report submitted By
the two generals, he replied:
When a trade is 10 be made between
two men. one may be fool and the
other as great as Gen. Jackson. but
the result. in honor and good morals.
viii be the same. for the strong must
protect the weak: but I perceive that
this trade is not 10 be made under such
honorable rules. ! say TO Gen. jackson
further lying 10 US is unnecessary IN
his attempt 70 sell US undisputed Mexi-
can territory"
When Jackson threatened to break
OF the conference. IN his anger at such
unqualified language. and produced
map TO back his words. Pushmataha
modified his statement TO withdraw the
charge Of lying from Gen. jackson. but
insisted that paper tthe map lies
and pointed out the correct boundary
between the United States and Mexico.
a. "a sv~@A WnN rnDFAdn
the point, but did later on In the treaty
with the Choctaws. which modified the
terms 70 read las far west as the United
States possessions extend" which was
then as far as the Panhandle OF Texas.
Then, when the treaty had been prac-
ideally concluded the Indian showed
his depth Of character when he insisted
upon clause through which the United
States Government should take a tract
Of 81 square miles OF the best land held
by his tribe east OF the Mississippi. sell
il ard invest the proceeds In such man
ner that the interest would create an
endowment fund for the education OF
Choctaw youth. II was from the pro-
ceeds Of this investment that Daniel
Webster. through the fact that he had
Choctav blood In his veins obtained
his education. and IL was the first sug-
gegtlon for the education Of red men
through a serai-pubiic fund that is
known. and il came directly from the
wisdom Of a fuil-blooded Indian.
The gift o. prophecy was shown IN
the concluding address OF the red mems
leader when ne wound UP the treaty
conference b. saying:
We boast that the Choctaws have
never taken up arms against the United
Ei&teG. But We have Accomplished
more in this treaty by diplomacy than
we could have done by war had We
chosen that method and been entirely
F1c,orio1g. for We have acquired from
the United States here her best re-
naming territory vest o! the Missiz-
SlsJpa, and this treaty provides a per-
pet1ag fund for the education Of our
children, and predict that It's benefits
VIII IL few generations enable the
Cfoctsxs 10 fight In the white mans
wars sns hold Office In the white mans
Rosernn1eDt-in the wars u the nations
o. the earth Pussnataha has this
Gay declared IL and his words Of
prophecy are not uttered fooliEhly"
That fle Mas correct Ia his estimate
~ the value 81 bravery " be showed
ny those u MS race VINO ~ years after
fought for the Stars and Stripes. 1t
may " here cl5&6 that among those
awarded tne Distinguished Eeryice
CfoSs for their featA IN the World War.
nearly 100 years after the prophetic
words o. PUshmataaa. were Otis w
Lescer u Oklahoma three quarter
btpoc Indian. ard Alfred q Bailey VI
he same Etste. Z Cherokee While
Dthefs q. his race ~ gain the Crolz de
C4erte We're Nicholas r. Brown, '1I?l.
DC>dec CslDctaw Jo9epil Cklah0snbi III
tIe same full strain end many others
III physique. history records - Push
p4atzha "its was feet Z inches nigh
End " faercIieaU strength. His torn
snc features were ztbef t.e finest inoicx
~ antique, hls cebprenent conp11fc,
csgnlfae1 ard seductive He Was soIne~
times calico 'TanttaerS Claw and thf