The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1953-11-06

and others interested, at a meet.
ing held in Browning recently,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Glenn NJ. Emmons outlined the
new policy of the government in
dealing with government-Indian
affairs. The address in full, of
which this is the first installment,
is as follows:
AS most of you probably know,
this trip was not entirely my own
idea. In fact, it was suggested to
me originally by President Els.
enhower. However, 1 am very
glad that the president made this
suggestion and I welcome this op.
portunity to broaden my know.
ledge of Indian affairs and meet
so many of the Indian people face
to face. It is an experience which
l believe is essential in prepar-
ing me to do the job which 1 have
so recently taken on as Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs.
l have before me the text of a
letter written to me by President
Eisenhower just before l under
took these travels. Since it is &C.
tually a message to the Indian
people, l want to read it to you.
Denver, Colo, Sept. 2, 1858
Dear Commissioner Emmons:
This administration, as you
know, has pledged itself to con-
suit with the Indian people of this
country and to give them every
opportunity for full expression
of their desires, suggestions, hop
es and aspirations. In order to
fulfill this pledge, l am asking
you, as my personal represent
alive, to 60 into the home terri
tory of the Indians during the
next several months and meet
with each of the major tribal
groups of the country.
please emphasize to the In
dian people our sincere desire for
the benefit of their views. While
we cannot anticipate that there
will always be perfect agreement
between the Indians and their
government as a result of these
conferences, it is essential for us
to learn firsthand their thoughts,
needs and aspirations. Only with
such knowledge can we move for
ward with warm and realistic
understanding in shaping policies
and programs for the future adj
ministration of Indian affairs.
II realize that the task | am
assigning you will be arduous and
that it will make heavy demands
on your time and energies during
the next few months. l am con-
fident, however, that our Indian
citizens will appreciate the eff
fort you are making and the
spirit directing it.
please express to each of the
Indian groups you meet my warm
personal greetings and my heart.
felt personal assurance that our
ruling aim in Indian affairs is to
meet and to deal with them justly
and progressively on all matters
at all times. Sincerely,
Dwight D. Eisenhower"
AS the president has emphasiz-
ed, the main purpose of this trip
is not for me to tell you what is
on my mind but for me to be a
good listener. l shall purposely
make these remarks rather brief.
However, l do want to tell you
something about my background
in Indian affairs, my general
philosophy, and some of the
thoughts I have about my new
job.
My personal experience in In
dian affairs goes back about 33
years and started shortly after |
came out of the army during the
First World War. During this
whole period l have been in the
banking business in Gallup, New
Mexico. AS most of you probably
know, Gallup lies just outside the
boundaries of the big Navajo res
ervation and is often referred to
as the Indian capital" of the
country. l realize that lot of
other communities will dispute
that title. But it is a fact that we
have great deal of Indian bust
ness in Gallup and have had for
good many years. In a sense.
we are surrounded on all sides
by important Indian tribal groups.
Besides the Navajos and Hopis on
the north and west, we have the
Zunis to the south. the Jicarilla
Apaches to the northeast, and the
Pueblo people farther east in the
Rio Grande Valley as we'll as a
number of others in Arizona, New
Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.
Over the years since 1920 | have
come to know many hundreds of
these people personally to regard
them as friends. Through them
I have developed an intense in.
terest in the Indian people - in
their problems and desires, their
longingS and their hopes. Conse.