“The award of these Indian lands to non-Indian claimants leaves no possibility for defense to the Indians. The Bursum Bill dooms the agricultural future of the Pueblo Indians; it would also appropriate a section which strikes at the center of their tribal life. These Indians have been self-governing, and the judgment of well-informed investigators who know the form of these tribal governments declare that this system is the best safeguard of the morale of the race. Destroy their traditions alike with their tribal government, and you destroy the moral fiber of the individual Indian.”
“So far you’re right, Mr. Sanderson, but you forget that one white man is surely worth more than a poor ignorant Indian,” argued Mr. Burt.
“Surely ‘a man’s a man’ no matter what may be his color,” declared the Ranger. “Eight thousand industrious farmers out there are more valuable to the United States than eight thousand promoters of graft, be they white or red. Another unfair thing is the breaking up of the Indians’ form of government, which means, actually, that you affect the vital community centers of these quiet, peaceable farmers; at the same time it means that such a step is calculated to so disturb the poor Indian that he will give up his land the quicker.”
“Oh, Mr. Sanderson, I think you have the wrong slant on this matter,” objected the newspaper man.
“I think, Mr. Burt, that I have every slant that is possible to get—all but one slant which I refuse to entertain, and that is the grafters’ slant.”
“Now you are unjust. As far as I have looked into this entire matter I find a singular absence of anything that would seem like personal reward for this measure being adopted,” said Mr. Burt.
Sanderson smiled tolerantly. “How about the Mescalers Bill, also introduced by the Senator of New Mexico, to establish an All-Year-National-Park, but the bill would include the establishment of private leaseholds to commercial enterprises. A fine ideal for our National Parks!”
Mr. Burt seemed ill at ease, but the young Ranger gave him small chance to offer further opinions on the subject.
“Every fair-minded Westerner recognizes the necessity of clearing up the conflicting Spanish and American land grants in New Mexico, but we want this done without illegal treatment of the honest, faithful natives of the land.
“Many disputants maintain that the Pueblo Indians are so lazy that they won’t farm what little land they have, so why should they not give up tracts which they do not live upon. Simple enough to one who will study the situation fairly: most of the good, irrigable land has been encroached upon by non-Indian claimants, leaving the arid, unirrigated portions to the unprotesting Indian farmer who strives pitifully to make a living for himself and his dependents.”