Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 228, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1917 — How the Indian Is Faring Under Uncle Sam’s Care [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

How the Indian Is Faring Under Uncle Sam’s Care

by Robert H. Moulton

There are more Red people in the United States than ever and they are coming to rank high as farmers:: Original Americans fruit and vegetable experts before White men came

Lo is no longer poor., He is a landholder and stock raiser. He has —money in the bank, millions of it, or / ®r\ will have when the government coinj pletes the distribution of payments recentlv authorized. For his farm prod--11 ucts’he ls receiving war prosperity I prices. From his oil lands royalties are flowing in with an abundance that | J would make a white man dizzy. J When payments out of tribal funds : .horized by congress at - the last session have been completed, including an earlier distribution, the Indians will have received from the government $10,585,688. In addition, during the last three years about $4,000,000 has been advanced to stock Lo’s ranges on various reservations and to purchase farm equipment. From this capital investment he is now receiving returns in some instances of more than 50 per cent. The Indian office has just completed the payment of $633,<300 to the members of the Chickasaw Nation, the distribution of which was authorized in 1914. Further payments authorized this year began on August 15. These will amount $6,239,700t0 the Choctaws. $938,100 to the Semlnoles, $1,260,800 more to the Chlckasaws, making in all, including the eartier distribution. $9,071,900 which these Indians have received in cash. To the Chippewa Indians in Minnesota payments will be. made under the recent act amounting to $1,513,788. The adults competent to take care of their interests will receive their share of the money. In the case of minors and others the money will be deposited in banks to be used for (heir benefit under the supervision of the officers of the Indian service. Of greater interest, however, is the fact that the American Indian is not only the holder, but also the producer of w’ealth. He is beginning to put money into the bank himself as well as having the government put it tn for him. This Is largely the result of a plan to enable hhn to make use of the natural resources available on the various Indian reservations heretofore utilized to a great extent by white men for their own benefit under the leasing system. Only last week there were put on sale at the Chicago market 50 carloads of cattle from Indian herds. In many places the Indian has shown that he cannot only raise cattle, but also obtain the top market price. During the last three years about $4,000,000 has been expended in the purchase of cattle, sheep and houses to stock the Indian ranges. The handling of these herds by the Indians has more than justified the investment. For example, the tribal herd placed on the Crow Indian reservation in Montana in the spring of 1914. at a cost of $405.108, showed a net profit on December 31. 1915. of $297,601. The tribal herd of sheep on the Picarllla reservation showed gross returns in the first year of $17,250 on an investment of $23,477. The live stock on the various Indian reservations is worth more than $28,000,000. as compared with $22,777,075 in 1913. in addition to this increase of more than s<>,ooo,ooo In \alue the Indians have sold $5,498,266 worth of stock and slaughtered $2,307,431 worth for their own needs. As a herdsman the Italian has been particularly successful. The highest price paid on the Chicago market for a grass-fed steer was recently received by an Indian of the Crow tribe on a day when the general market value of the cattle was lower than on other days of the season. Gradually the original unhyphenated American is taking possession of his own again. He is managing his own farm and reaping his own harvests. Leases of allotted land decreased in number from 28.847 in 1913 to 10.426 in 1915, a change in acreage of from 3.109.209 to 1.868.779. In 1915 the area of tribal lands leased was ,8,122,918 acres, in 1913 was 10,568.948. The. Indian is becoming a competitor at the agricultural fair with the white man. He is raising his own supplies, relieving the government to a considerable extent of the necessity of making gratuitous issues of food under treaties to induce him to remain where he -is on the reservation instead of reverting to the nomadic habits of his forefathers. Nor is he any longer a vanishing race. The number of Indians increased from 300.930 in 1913 to 309,911 in 1915. Gradually the tendency toward tuberculosis, trachoma and kindred diseases, which prevailed among them to an alarming extent, Is being checked. This is due to a medical campaign and the Improvement of housing conditions. Tt appears, therefore, that the turning point in the history of the Indians has been reached. His numbers are increasing, his wealth Is growing and he hits taken a place among the white men us the producer of wealth In a system of .civilization with which his own manner of living was in direct conflict. As farmers, the Indian has shown the white man something worth while, particularly in the growing of corp. It Ik interesting to note that he planted pumn|lns or squash among the corn hillocks, does the white man now. and also sowed b<sis where the vines could twine themsrtves about the cornstalks. ' ' /

In one of the passages from the description of the raid made by General Sullivan on the Five Nations in his memorable punitive expedition d tiring the Revolutionary war, it is set forth that among the rows-of corn were found .cucumbers and watermelons so delicious that the rqlders sat do wntoeat- of—them.even though t hehour waxtwo o’clock in the morning. The Indians introduced melons of all kinds from southern climes, and by extreme care adapted them to northern temperatures. It was after the advent of Columbus that the Indians of this continent became proficient in the cultivation of the “Irish” potato. The tuber was brought from the Andean heights by Spanish adventurers and was introduced in the Southern part of the United States. Before the American Revolution, Tiowever, the Indian experts were developing many, varieties of it and the Iroquois were espertally proficient as growers of the root; of whichr there ~»re nihout 200 varieties. Potato meal was originally* an Indian product. Yams and sweet potatoes were raised in abundance. The Indian farmer also raised many kinds of vegetables and was experimenting with many others before the advent of the European races.

The tomato, which is of South American origin, was oh his list. Although he did not.have onions, he was gathering many kinds of flower bulbs, such as lilies, and using them in soups. The Indian dietary included the greens cooked with a piece of fat meat. Sumac, sorrel, milkweed, yellow dock and dandelion were also on his tneuu. He was gathering mushroom and puffballs and otherfungi. In fact, the Indian was able at all times to give to the strangers from beyond the great water a revised menu. The peanut, which is now so plentifully sold here, was considered a valuable food product by the = Indians. ' “

■_ The American apple ' owes much to the care of the Indian farmers, for the Indian was an ahle pomologist. It was not unusual 150 years ago for Indian orchards to have 1,500 trees, all of -which had- been duly pruned and cultivated by the people we are prone to regard as nomadic savages. To the introduced such fruits as the persimmon, the pawpaw. the pineapple and the Virginia strawberry. Primitive as the manual part of the farming of the Indians may seem, their agriculture did very well with the facilities which were available. Science points strongly to the theory that the horse had Its origin in this Western world, but the animal disappeared many aeons before the aborigines appeared. The Indian had neither horses nor bullocks, and had he developed a plow he would have had no animals to draw it. He had no wheels, rakes or such devices, for the wheel had never been in us'e among primitive races of the Americans. The dog-drawn litter, or travois, was about as near as the Indian gver got to a wagon. His agricultural implements were few and simple. What with his hoe and mattock, his willow rake and his planting stick, he had run the gamut of tools. What he lacked in cci , ” , '”icnt he made up in enthusiasm and skill.