“The need of foods would suggest the establishment of one or more large farms, where, under proper supervision, men would learn to till the soil, care for stock, handle machinery, etc.
“The Indian does not need charity, but he must be trained to use the powers he possesses. I would do away with all annuities and substitute work and wages therefor. I would not make personal allotments of land except to Indians who had learned to farm, and then only on the homestead plan requiring them to live on the land and make certain improvements before they secured title. Except for supervisors and experts, I would have all the work on the reservation done by Indians, nor would I permit a white man to hold title to an acre of land.”
Correspondent, Cass Lake, Minnesota
“There is for instance the question of honesty and justice. Fifteen years ago the majority of the Osages were honest, truthful, just, paid their debts. The U. S. Government told them: you can deal with licensed traders and must pay them; dealers that are not licensed you must not pay. They trade with both kinds for convenience sake and otherwise; after a while when money is short, they refuse to pay the unlicensed dealer, and become dishonest and unjust.
“Of the Osages, nineteen years ago, all the full-bloods were poor, and very glad to get a piece of beef when sick. The first year after allotment they let the renter bring them their share of the grain, but the second year they went after their share themselves and improved their opportunity so that some Osages loaned money to others not only this year but ten years ago. The money is the greatest misfortune to the Osages and I say often it is a curse to them. They have a large trust fund in Washington and an apparently unlimited supply of oil and gas and also other minerals.”
Correspondent, Pawhuska, Oklahoma
CREEK MAN AND WOMAN CUTTING WOOD. SYLVIAN, OKLAHOMA, 1913
“In some ways the Indians are improving but not so surely and rapidly as ten years ago. The encouraging of the old native dances which is simply heathen worship; the enacting of war scenes to please the Whites, is fast putting him back of what he was ten years ago. The full-blood Indians are the most law-abiding in most cases. The white people always take advantage of the Indian. The Government is not properly protecting the Indian. Largely the local politicians run reservation affairs.”
Correspondent, Standing Rock, No. Dakota