“I think more could be done here in the way of nursing. There is no trained nurse among these Indians, no field matron. The people are ignorant in the matter of knowing how to care for young children, and in matters of cleanliness and ventilation.”
Correspondent, Greenwood, So. Dakota
“Government farmers who farm, and a doctor—I will not say more capable—but one who takes an interest in his work and his people, and who at least visits the sick, are among the needs of these people.”
Correspondent, Pala, California
“The Indian courts are incompetent and unjust. The boarding-schools should be nonsectarian. There should be more day-schools to promote the home life. If the Indians are wards, they should be protected in the courts. For instance, two years ago a young girl whose father had just left her a nice property, was sued for breach of promise by a mixed-blood. Ignorant, she did not appear in court. She was not defended by the Indian Agent. Many of her fine horses were sold at low prices and the mixed-blood received $1,000. This case was reviewed by the Department of Justice in Washington but never righted. They recognized evidences of fraud, but the time limit had elapsed. There should be a good lawyer as legal clerk at each agency. There should be much smaller districts, and more and better farmers in charge of them, who would by example encourage the Indians to farm their land, milk cows and raise stock. Notwithstanding the large issues of stock, the Indians have few more cattle and horses than twenty-seven years ago when I first came out here. With a railway station within ten miles of nearly every Indian on this reservation, very little is raised to ship out, either stock or grain.”
Correspondent, McLaughlin, So. Dakota
“The Indians, largely, are holding their lands. Immorality is due to several causes; first and greatest I blame the Government for insisting upon Indians obtaining licenses to marry. Many of them are a hundred miles from the agency. The old custom of early marriages was best for them. But now unless they are past eighteen years of age they cannot get a license. Any authorized minister should be allowed to marry them without a license. The boys and girls are kept in school too long. If forced at all to be sent to school after they are sixteen, it should be optional with the students and parents.”
Correspondent, Standing Rock Reservation, North Dakota
“A commission of ten or twelve men announce that they will be here on a certain date to make payments to certain Indians. These Indians are notified to come. They travel, some of them, 100 miles. On arriving there they find, perhaps, that they have come too soon or too late. This means a wait of several days at heavy expense. I have known instances where the amount drawn was less than the expenses. We have wondered why the Indian could not receive his payment just as the old soldier gets his pension, but it is claimed that he would not get the check—so many would be on the watch for it.
“When it is announced that the payment party is to be at a certain place, this proclaims to every grafter in the land that he had better be there. He is there.