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Image provided by: South Dakota State Historical Society – State Archives
Newspaper Page Text
4 THE OGLALA LIGHT When geographical lines and sign-boards warned trespassers from the Indians' land, then there might have been some blame attached to officials and employees but today when white men are settling in the midst of these people the obligation rests on each one as an American citizen to be an example of true citizenship. "The Govern ment" has been the scape goat of all our reservation failures, but that day is largely past. Does the man who cheats the Indian to gain wealth and makes dishonest citizens expect to class as anything but a despicable thief? Does the man who keeps liquor and leads the Indian to his ruin by pandering his childlike appetite expect to class as anything but a traitor and murderer? Does the man who is entrusted with the care of the Indian's property and welfare and proves unfaithful and negligent think that he will class as anything but a malefactor? Does the man who violates the chastity of an Indian maid or woman, taking advantage of their greater suscepti bility and of the improbability of exposure, expect to be anything but a whoremonger? "We of the white race are under obligation to see that the Indian who expects better things of us shall not be deceived. A Norwegian farmer once found $900 on the road and returned it with some diffi culty to its owner who was an.Indian. The Indian never forgot it, and he and his family became Christians as a result of this act of the Christian farmer. We owe it to the Indian to see he a good graded school system and not a system of pens to herd the children for a per capita allowance. It is a disgrace that with the facilities and money spent the schools should so often be a conglomeration of everything from a nursery to an agricultural college. There are many schools admirably located to differentiate and specialize and to give progressive courses to all the Indian youth. They might be well prepared for every walk of life and for entrance to our great universities. It is harrowing to witness the desperate struggle for sustaining the enrollment. We owe it to the Indian to pay what we owe him. There is no excuse for a clerical error to withhold the sustenance of a tribe and cause the weak and feeble to starve to death. An American in thfe rough is a man who makes and pays his own way. The Indian must let loose of Columbia's skirts before he can be an American worthy of the name. We owe it to the Indian to let him pay his way and