Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-24

oil ana the equipment OF SnlpS Win raOlO
facilities have dislocated the island population
economically. Ships no longer stop regularly at
the islands for COAL provisions and cable mes
sages. Result A large number Of people are
without the means of earning livelihood.
Similarly, an economic dislocation occurred
after the Civil War--Tnilons Of coored men
and women made free" but given no property
or means to make living.
So it has been with the Indians-an economic
dis1ocation that has made them more less
dependent on the Government When the white
men came the Indian possessed America. He
was free to roam, to hunt, to FISH, 10 live
nomadic life. He was member of a tribe, with
a common supply of food, common hunting
ground. What belonged to one belonged to all.
There was no spirit of acqutSttiveneSS;
quirement Of much property by an individual
for his own Use and benefit no provision for the
future Of the individual.
The white men who came to settle the coun-
try and continued to come by the millions were
nothing like this. They wanted property; fixed
rights, fixed boundaries; their cwn possessions of
land timber, water rights rines and oil wells.
The result was, in brief tina: the Indians were
crowded into cornerS-corners called "reSeFva-
tions"-that might be hundreds of square miles
in extent to be sure, but were close quarters
nevertheless for people that had had the run
of all America. Soma CT the corners" con-
sisted of desert land; some, the white man later
discovered, contained things he needed and
wanted-streams for irriga ion, for power pur-
wheat. SO the Indian has been under constant
economic pressure from without-and from
within, too, because we tried to make a farm
ing and fixed" population out Of race Of
wanderers who had always considered the grow
ing Of hay and grain 'squaw's work
And 50 the Indian was dislocatcd economi-
cally. For years those who wanted what he
possessed-and usually succeeded IN getting
it in one way or another-Eere given to say
ing: The only good Indian is q dead Indian"
Ind mr. ton oft I'D vx17a
they preached ~
From that extreme and unjust vtswawe have
swung to another extreme: one which makes
the Secretary OF the Interior Of the United
States and those associated with him virtually
guardians OF two hundred and more thousand
InEsans responsible for their education eco
noEnic welfare and happiness.
Today ! may be called upon to appoint q
principal Indian chief Of Oklahoma tribe;
tomorrow may be called upon to act as arbiter
of the conflicting claims Of the two husbands
(past and presently of a 20-year-old Indian
girl, whose funds in the amount of nearly
100000 are in the custody OF the Interior De-
partment. Day in and day out the officials of
the departments Indian Bureau must decide
such questions whether John Tail Horse in
Minnesota shall lease his allotted farm or be
required to work-or at least kept himself;
whether Henry whttetree, in Oklahoma, shall
be permitted to dispose of immensely valuable
oil rights or be kept under close guardianship
that viii prevent dissipation Of his inheritance.
And Congress, year after year, for decades
has passed thousands OF laws relating to and
governing the Indians and their affairs so that
a few dollars were appropriated for this school,
some hundreds for a road Improvement some
thousands for another purpose-and a general
halter kept everything relating to the In
dams, for their protection, but to their hurt
and detriment nevertheless. It is humanity i'm
possible to exactly budget" a great family of
two three hundred Thousand people widely
scattered under varied circumstances of loca-
ton, weather and natural abilities So some
Indians had too much; many too httle-and
very few Of them had any real chance to be-
come independent, self-supporting, self-suf-
fcient citizens.
TEEN, too, during nearly hundred years Of
national administration of Indian affairs
there were more than 80 commissioners in
charge. Always there was pressure from with
out to dispossess the Indian Of what he had
that was Of value. That anything at all re-
mains Of the Indian speaks well for the hon.
e6fy Of purpose Of most Of the administrations
that held once during the last century
The fact is that property still held by the
Indians Is worth, at varying valuations, from
81 900 900 900 to 81 900 900 900. Some of the
land occupied is little more than desert waste.
Other hand is worth many thousands CT dollars
an acre-because Of minerals beneath the sur
face So the Indian is not pauper; though,
lacking the knowledge or disposition to use his
property abilities to be sustaining, he Is
IN economic distress in many cases.
Take John Blackfoot, bright Indian boy,
for example He was educated by white mems
methods at Government school for q dozen
years. But when school was over the Govern
ment made no effort to find JOB for John in
tine with his training Or abilities He had no
actual contact with the world outside the In
dian school and reservation. He was much
q stranger here, almost, q 16-yeAr-old white
American boy deposited IN the middle Of
China and expected to make . living UNI