The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-01-11
OF INDIAN
RECOUNTED BY MOTE
IN SPEECH TO Lions
Indian Superintendent Paints
Dark Picture Of White
Mans Trsachsry

-aS
Mans Trsachsry
How the White man has despoiled
his Red brother and how George
Washington fought = losing battle
IN an effort to protect the Indian
and assure him justice were outlined
to members of the Lions club Mon
day noon at the G. P. hotel by S. r.
Mote, superintendent Of the Bis
marck Indian school.
Reviewing the history of the rela-
tionships between the Indians and
their white conquerors, Mote re-
viewed the comment Of Columbus,
who said they were an instinctively
religious people and possessed of
. frankness and liberality in their
behavior which no one would believe
without witnessing it."
Because Of this religious tendency,
the Indians took kindly to the Chris
tian religion and lived In harmony
with the Whites until aggression,
treachery and brutality drove them
to vain efforts to protect their heri-
tage.
Mote cited, as proof Of the 1ndi-
ans desire for peace and his belief
IN the power and goodness Of the
supernatural being, Cornplanter's .ad-
dress to President Washington in
which the Great Seneca orator said:
Father: You have said that we
are in your hand and that, by clos
ing it, you could crush US to nothing.
Are you determined to crush as? If
you are, tell Us so, that those Of our
nation who have become your chill
dren and are determined to die so,
may know what to do. Before you
determine on measure so unjust,
look up to God, who made US as
we'll as you. We hope He will not
permit you to destroy the whole Of
our nation"
Reply Was Fair
Mote said Washington's reply was
frank and fair, in that he promised
to protect the rights Of the Indians,
but that "the courageous and honest
voice Of Washington was to 60 un-
needed. The hardy frontiersmen, Of
ten INSCRIPTIONS and without vision
of racial friendship, furnished ample
reason for the western tribes to re-
main on the warpath mi ch Of the
time"
In his seventh annual message to
congress, the speaker asserted,
Washington said: ut is necessary
that we not lose sight Of an impor-
tant truth which continually receives
new confirmation, namely, that prot
lection Of Indians from the violences
Of the lawless part Of our frontier
inhabitants are insufficient. To en-
force upon the Indians the obser-
vance OF justice, it is indispensable
that there shall be competent means
OF rendering justice to them.''
Mote said the more he studied
Washington "the more remarkable
seem the moral courage and wisdom
which he brought to bear upon the
complex problems that confronted
him. That the things he proposed
were possible was proved by the fact
that later they were all DONE"
Mote said it is a far cry from
Washington to Hoover "and in those
years are many dark pages Of his
tory, with pictures of Indian treaties
broken, the faith Of the native tribes
in our government shaken, the re-
spect between Indian and White
shattered by treachery, debauchery
and trickery. I have not time in this
talk to relate even the important
events and policies which ended by
United States troops herding all the
remnants Of the great Indian tribes
into closely restricted reservations,
selected by political expediency for
the most part in territory which
seemed otherwise almost worthless"
Hoover Shows Wisdom
Mote said Hoover, like Washing
ton, has attacked the Indian problem
with courage, wisdom and humani-
tarianism, pointing the way for. con-
gress to right some Of the wrongs.
Mote commented on the new pro-
gram OF the Indian service, quoting
from the annual report Of Commits
sioner Charles J. Rhoads as follows:
If the Indian service were starting
afresh on the task Of Indian educa-
ton, with what is now known Of
the processes Of change and adjust
ment through schools and other
agencies, it would undoubtedly be-
sin with the Indian people In their
own environment or in some compar-
able environment in which they could
develop their own resources. It
would employ other methods than
some Of those which have been en-
ployed. It would not use, to any ex-
tent, the reservation "rations" or
distant boarding schools for young
children.
"But we are not starting afresh
and cannot. One kind Of q philoso-
ply and one kind Of system have
been established long time. The
basic Indian Service educational
problem, therefore, is to work over
from = more or less conventional in
stitutional conception Of education to
one that is local and individual"
To do this and to work out other
benefits for the Indian, Mote said,
support Of local white. communities
will be needed.
G. G. Mccartney, new district sales
manager for the North Dakota Pow
er and Light company, was greeted
rs . new member of the club.
Announcement was made that
there will be no club meeting next
Monday because Of 4 joint meeting
January. 20 at the Association Of
Commerce rooms Of members Of all
local luncheon clubs.
Otto Bauer sang several songs,
accompanied by Grace Duryee Nor
ris on the piano. Adolph Englehardt
played several violin numbers.
Masonic Stag Card Party TO-