Edited by Wassaja (Dr. Montezuma's Indian name, meaning "Signaling") an Apache Indian Vol. 8, No. 5 ISSUED MONTHLY May, 1922 THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE INDIANS OUT OF THEJ CONTROL OF THE INDIAN BUREAU, IS TO GET THEM our OF THE CONTROL OF THE INOIAN BUREAU THE CALIFORNIA INDIAN DELEGATES. (Continued from last issue) "My people nev,er had a home that I can rememher; all hoomeless. I begged a little reservation, 200 afres, all rocks, thru ' Dr. Merriam. Our Indians say "White man writes agre.ements we got to stand by; In· dians get nothing! When aid is given the poorest and most heJpless they get two · pounds of flour a week-no,t enough for any human being to live on." A, J. Hiogan, of the Chook Chancee In­.dian Tribe, relate,s what he knows of the Indian as a worker: "Those who say the · Indians don't work don't know the Indians. · They must work to live. They go out to · work when they can get work, save up their money, buy their provisions,. pay their debts. They can't pay all. Go to work again, Do the s.ame thing over, and never can g,et any­ .thing ahead. That is the Indian's life. These stories of the California Indians had their effect, that something should be done for the California Indians, the Secre­tary and the Commissioner agreed. Secre­tary Fall had a big-hearted vision of homes ·for the homeless Indians, homes they should own themselves, fre.e from federal strings, if Congress would appro_priate the money to buy them; but to the Court of Claims Bill. permitting them to take their claims into the United States Court of Claims he ex· pressed himself as utterly opposed. "Dear Sir: "In accordance with our Conference with you yesterday, we have taken under advisement your pr,o,posal that the Califor­nia Court of Claims Bill be substit•ted by a measure authorizing your Department to determine the needs of the California In­dians and to render such relief as might, in your judgement, be found necessary. "After careful considerati,on of your pro­po,sal we beg to advise you that we are not so much interested in .the limited relief that might be obtained through gratuitous ap­propriations as we are in a just and final dis­posal ,of the California Indians problem. We believe that this can be done best under the provisions of the California Court of Claims Bill. We, therefore, have agreed to pres.s our case for the enactment of that Bill. "We have reached this decision after carefully reviewing the scanty relief .here­tofore granted to the California Indians in the form of gratuitous appropriations by the Congress, the great stress that is no,w being placed on economy and the further fact that it is not reasonable that this Congress could in its short Ufe, conclude the work, and that it would have to be.resumed by another Con­gress, which might adopt an entirely dif­ferent policy. "We sincerely hope that your sense of justice and interest in humanitarian ques­tions will be assurance to us that you will use your good Office to assist in every way posible to reach an early and satisfactory settlement of the California Indian prob­ After the meeting they weighed every­thing in the interest of their peo·ple. the lem'" nine California Indian delegates sent these SIGNED: ALFER GILLIS words to the Secretary of the Interior: WASSAJA WASSAJA Vol. 8, No. 5 MAY, 1922 A Monthly Publication Devoted to the Best Interest ol the First Amercans-thc Red Men SUBSCRIPTION ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR SINGLE COPIES, 10c 100 COPIES, FOR $4.00 ADDRESS ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO CARLOS MONTEZUMA, M. D. 2720 Michigan Ave. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ALi'3Ef,'i· WILDER WILLIAM FULLER STEPHEN KNIGHT A. J. HOGAN FRANK ISLES HARRISON DIAZ THOS. W. BILLINGS ALBERT JAMES THE IND·lAN BUREAU BLACKMAILING THE INDIAN:5. It is a shame that truth cannot be sus­tained by Indians. It is stated that the In­dian who cried aloud, that the Black.feet In­dians of Montana were starving and needed immediate help, when an appropriation on the same matter was before the House, the Bill was defeated when a letter, on the floor, from the same Indian, that the Blackfeet In­dian,, were not in a destitute conrlition. We have the information that early in 1913, the attention of the Commissioner ot Indian Affairs was called to· the destitute condition of the Blackfeet Indians ,of Mon­tana. He was spoken to by Robert J. Hamil­ton and Thomas L. Sloan. The first named was told that the Indians would suffer if­provisi,on was not made for them. Repeat­ed statements brought no results. In the summer of 1914, Sloan visited the reserva­tion and found conditions wors·e. A report to the Indian Office brought no results. So · he took his information to Senator Tow.send of 'Michigan. He took up the matteT with the Secre­tary of the Interi,or, and immediately two in­spectors we,re sent out-Cook and Linnnen. Their reports showed a condition much worse than was reported by Sloan and Hamilton. The late Senator Harry Lane cf Oregon also investigated and found the same deplorable situation It took from July 1913 to October 1914, to get any relief. Robert J. Hamilton, who faced the opposi­tion of the Indian Office, his agent and all adverse influences, was investigated by the Indian Office Officials. When the Indian oHice attempted to file a lar~e number of statements against Hamilton, with the "L E T M Y P E O P L E. G O " ----AND---­ "AB0LISH THE INDIAN BUREAU" Now is the time to do something practical for the 'l'ndian people. If you cannot do it personally, the next helpful thing to do is for you to procure. all you can, copies of "Let My People Go" and "Abolish the Indian Bureau," and send them where they will do the most good; sutter them iar and wide. If thousands will do that in each state, you can just imagine what an influence it would have. It would be like seeds; they would take roots, and the public would know something about the Indians' plight. If there were books or pamphlets on the subject, we would be pleased to refer them to you, but there are none that we know of. "Let My People Go" i,nd "Abolish the Indian Bureau" are the only pamp'11e.ts touchin~ on th., vital solution of the . so-calle:l lndia'n problem. Order today. "LET MY PEOPLE GO,"per copy.. ..... .....: .... IOc "ABOLISH THE INDIAN BUREAU." per copy . .. I5c "ON THE INDIAN TRAIL" BY DR. VAN DYNE This is a publication that should be read by every man and woman in the United States. If you believe in liberty, humanity, equal rights a;..d justice, secure a copy of this great work. ONE COPY PREPAID..............................$1.35 For infotmation and immediat~ de livery of one or all of thcs:c publications. write the Editor, 3135 South Park Ave. CHICAGO. ILLINOIS Joint Commission of Congress to investigate Indians affairs, the Chairman. Senator Robinson, of Arkansas, said he would no, perwt it. He also said he objected to an Indian witness being punished for telling the truth and trying to aid his people. If it was done again, he would call at­ tenticn to it on the -floor of the Senate., Re­ lief was given, but nothing is being done to help trem for the coming winter. Hamil­ ton has hee.n seeking some compensation for h is timfl, and whil') the Indians are willing, the Indian Office is not. The Chairman of the Joint Commision of Congress said, ·'when the report of thfl Inspflcto•:s of the Indian office was filed with him," this is just v,bat. Robert J. Ha;nilton ::?nrl T. L. Hloan told us more than a year ago. "Hamilton shculd be paid for the time he spent on be­ half of his people. Sloan has sufficient means of his own and he is not asking for anything. He went the~e to verify his in­ formation and to help the Indians. Robe1•t J. Hamilton was · arrested by the Indian police a.nd taken befoi·e the Judge of the Court ,of Indian Offenses, be,cause he dis­trituted among his people the printed re­ports by a J oint Commission of the Tribe. Such arrests are a violation of personal rights. · All Indians should be citizens and E,ubject to only 'the same laws .as 'oth'er races. They have been coerced into doing and ac­cepting things detrimental to them by the. WASSAJA use of force and arrests. That has been true on almost every reservation. Ro,bert Hamilton was sincere. Presi­dent Harding was sincere in asking this eme,rgency Bill be immediately acted upon by Oongress, and the good friends of the In­dians are sincere in supporting this emer­gency call. Again, it is stated that this same Indian was in bad with the Indian office at the time of his plea for hi,s• people, but when, in the meantime, he secured a po!lition in the In­dan Service, he changed and wrote a letter that defeated the President's Bill for the sta~ving Indians. Wassage published a letter of help from , Yakima, Washington. When that was known, we received another ietter saying th,e,y would like to know who wrote that let­ ter, etc'. They were not aware of that con­ dition on the Yakima reservation. Mr. Th,os. L, Sloan, President of the Society of Ameri­ can Indians, has taken the words of thoe, In­ •dians in his pr,otest against the Indian of­ , fice. The same Indians Wllo gave h111, their information weakened or contradict­ed themselves at the last moment. Father Gordon has report2d the awful­ness on his reservation in Wisconsin, but an inspector reported otherwise. He is tagg­ed a,; a liar. It makes no difference what yo'u may re­port in reference to Indian matter, · the In­dian Bureau is there to refute your words and white-wash themselves, and tag the other fellows as liars, disturbers, exploiters. grafters, 'Undesirables, and not to be con­sidered in what they do or say. Vie believe that that is what is called blac~mailing. A gang of pirates can no, more lrneIJ their . secrets more closely to themselves than the Indian Bure,au can secrete their transactions from the public There are Indians in Washington who ha,ve been there tor some length of time, try­ing to he•lp the Indians. They call on Con­gressmen and Se,nators; they call at the In­,dian Office; they are at the hearings of the Indian Committee of the House and Senate, and they try conscentiously to help the new Indian arrivals. If th,ese Jndian.s are not in harmony with the Indian Bureau, they are belittled by the Indian office. so that they do rwt have a favorable standing or showing in· Washington. In t'ime, the Representa­ tives and Senators believe the Indian Bu­ reau and not these Indians. These Indians are shunned and are bores in Washington. . The great power that be (Indian Bureau) 1s a Bureau that r,o,bs the Indians of their rights; that keeps the Indians as commer­cial subjects; that hoodwinks the Indians; that takes away the responsibilities of the Indians; that keeps them in the darkness of their primitive life; that makes tools out of them (or their selfish purposes, and that weakens and ruins· them in body, mind and soul. This has been unbeknowingly tole­rated by the American people for over fifty years. Black slavery was abolished but In­dian slavery still exists. That is\vrong, and will not be righted until the Indians are free and made citzens by the act of. Con­gress. "THE INDIAN''. OF RIVERSIDE, CAL. This is a monthly publication ,of the Mission Indian Federation, at Riverside, Cal. The March issue comes to us enriched with live news and articles that hang fire on In­diar, matter::.. Justice in defense of the Indians will win out ir. the long run The Bureau that is selfish and hardened, ,believes that the edict_s or regulations of the Indian Bureau supercedes Court laws are now awakening to the fact::: tlui,t rules and regulations are nqt ,sOYeramcntal laws Most every large firm has rules and regulations to keep its employees posted on its requirements. But far from it, that their rules and regulations are the laws of the country. Just so, the rules and regula,­ti,ons of the Indian Bur·eau are not laws, recnuise they do not coincide with the laws that govern the United States. "The Indian" comes before us with the most useful knowledge of Mr. Weaver's per­ sonal story of himself; spicy local news; "What the White Man writes," standing out in the open in the Indian Bureau· probe of Mr.. Tibbet. Proclaiming the starved con­ dition of the Indians on reservations; re­ marks on the Hon. Kelly's ,speech on the floor ,of the House;. "The American Flag," "Contrast' of Whites and Indians," and "Poems expressing the Soul of the Indians." Trulv, "The Indian'' in just warming ir. to the spirit of what shooulcl actuate every Indian in America for the best interest ci.f their people. It hits on the vital spots and does not dweU o--: dead issues, that can do no ·g,ood for the living Indians. Go, "Thou In­ "dian", let not thy spirit wane, ,s,ingle th:i, WASSAJA . eye to that highest and noblest gaol for your Race freedom and citizenship. ·TheSociety of American Indians Membership Fee-$2.00 Per Year ' FOR INFORMATION ADDRESS THOMAS G. BISHOP 1901 "F" St. N. W. Washington, D. C. If you want to help the Indians. become a member and al10 donate to the Society THE INO-IAN WAKES UP · Lost and bewildered is the Indian. He cannot comprehend why all this change. Silently and stoically to himself he a,sks the questions: Has the Great Spirit forgotten me? Has the Med ic:ne Man lost all his · charm? Is there no way out into that happy ·hunting ground I have sacrificed and yearn­-ed for these many dark days and years? Must I lose all that I po,ssess and no longer follow in the trail of my father? On the reservation I followed the rules. See, I have changed my garmets, J hav-e cut my hair, and what is there for me? · rain as a child-helpless! As a blind­man, I grope and know not whether I go! I thought this land belonging to the G1'.ea,t Spirit? Are the white people Great Spirits? I am afraid there is something .wrong in me; and if you can see-lead me. Maybe my child, here, can push the cur­tain a,side and make a way out from the plight I ain in. Take him, teach him as you would your own child. Then when I am gone he will be like you, for he will be with you. GIVE THE INDIANS A CHANCE By Chas. Selkirk, White Earth, Minn. "This was col?ied by 'The Tomahawk" from "Minneapolis Jou-rnal" of April 11th to the Editor of the Journal:­ To the Editor o_f the ;:rournal "I read your .editorial on "Naturaliza­tion and Red Tape," and it has set me to thinking of the govenment's attitude to its wards-the first citizens. Being a member of the Indian Race, I have been asked seve­ral times what. I think of my country, or to 'put it more accurately, of the govern­ ment and its sy,stem of guardianship over the Indian, and my answer is curt-same as the Irishmen think of England's rule. It would be easier for me n-0t to answer the question, but I have seen and know too much to have a right to silence. In its es­ sence every people after they have attained a certain degree of advancement, want no barrier to impede their progres,s, nor guardianship maintained over them, for their sense that this would naturally keep them in a state of perpetual dependency "To still any doubts as to its paternal motives, the govern.ment spreads the idea that this guardianship is ·abs,olutely neces­sary for the sake -0f the Indian's advance­ment to civilization This idea or function of the government's policy toward the In­dian acts as a cloak to cover evils which would not be tol,erated in Ireland or else­where at the present time. "Realizing that it is hopeless and fool­hardy for any people to put on their war­paint and fight for their rights, we will hav-e to yield to the injustice of h"is damn­able protective supervision of our property or tribal affairs, ,stifle the ambitions of the coming generations of Indians by this super­vision, and to be led 'into the belief that they are incompetent, merely to keep alive a bureau at Vv"ashington where thousands of sineoure positions are dol-ed out as political favors "It is understood that I condemn the In­dian Bureau and its system There is a . strong underlying, force of political intrigue· and red tape that ·fosters its pernicious prin­ciples. If ~,his was generally know to the public, it w,ould create a sentiment that would eventually correct this evil and cause the abolition of the Indian Bureau. This would place us ,on an equal footing with the whites and Negroes. "If yo,u want a people to, develop, es­pecially a Race of strong character with a strong past civilization of its -0wn, y_ou will have to free it from an evil which, in the early pi,oneer days, held that the only good Indian was dead Indian The Atmosphere of lawlessness in which the Indian had been accustomed to live in those early days, led the go,vernment to believ-e in the legi­timacy of maintaining a protective super­vision over the Indian until he is now in a state of senility. Let "Poor Lo" fight his own battl-e and his children'.s children will reap the ·reward of being on par."