Evening star., 1932-04-04
BY ALICE LEE JEMIsON.

BUFFALO. N Y, April IN. A. N. A
Murder Upon an Indian reSerVa-
ton. Once more the sinister word Is
heard at the Cattaraugus Reservation
The third time within two years. Be-
coming a commonplace.
One more an Indian Is held for trial
This time youth Of 19. who admits
he shot his stepfather. A life cut short
in comparative Youth. for Jesse Green
was not an old man and he was a gooo
Indian ordinarily. And young LIE
blighted before 1t is scarce begun. An
outcast at 49,
What has caused this change in the
usually peaceful indian? What lies
behind these recurring tragedies which
bring shame upon the Indians? Does
the fault lie with the Indian perhaps,
in accepting too readily the evils OF
civilization along with the benefits. or
does it lie with social system Whlch
for 200 years has pursued a relentless
warfare to exterminate the few re-
naming red men by some means or
another
Stubbornness and lack of co-opera-
ton on both sides have contributed TO
the present situation.
The Proud Seneess
A powerful people were the Senecas,
proud and independent before the white
man penetrated the primeVsl forests OF
America. members OF the League OF the
Ho de ne son neh. the People Of the
Long House. strong confederacy formed
by five tribes or nations for the pur-
poses of protection and extending their
domain.
By right of conquest they claimed all
u.h &
Canada to Virginia and Northern
Tennessee. from the Hudson River to
the Mississippi, with many tributary
tribes under their control.
Each tribe had an internal govern
ment The political structure was
simple but served the need Each tribe
was divided into eight clans. all mem
bers Of a clan being descendants of
common mother Clan membership
and tribal membership-in short, citizen
ship-was and still is entirely through
the mother Intermarriage among
members of a clan was prohibited
The oldest woman of the clan was
termed the clan mother. In conference
with her sisters, she selected the chiefs
OF the clan. A life position.
Woman Suffrage.
But. If they misbehsved or failed TO
carry out the wishes of the clan mother,
she and her sisters had the power of
Impeachment and removal. Woman
suffrage in its earliest form! Each clan
had two or three chiefs and from this
assemblage were chosen by popular
vote the two head chiefs, a peace chief
and a war chief
Such was the internal government OF
the Five Nations of the Confederacy-
the Mohawks. warlike Keepers Of the
Eastern Gate; the Onondagas. Keepers
~ the Council Fire: the Cayugas and
Oneidas. in the central part of the
state, and the Senecas. most numerous
and powerful. Keepers Of the Western
Gate. Later the Tuscaroras were admit
ted as Junior brothers. Fifty sachems
from these tribes governed the league.
The head chief, by agreement, was
always an Onondaga and still is. and
the meetings were held in Onondaga
country to consider the matters of war
and peace, alliances, tributary polices
and other questions of national char
acter.
The first League of Nations! Crude
but effective. Thus in the leafy eX-
panses of virgin timber the white man
found us In the early stages OF civili-
zation. He was welcomed as a god
Treated as a brother. Corn We gave to
HIM, most nutritive Of all the grains.
and the secret Of raising it, one f1sh
to fertilize each hill Potatoes. Imagine
a dinner today without them
Salt and the method of extracting
it. Tobacco, mans solace and comfort,
and fast becoming woman's, too.