Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: South Dakota State Historical Society – State Archives
Newspaper Page Text
copations in which they engage. Th is development of the Ind ian along economical lines is not confined to any one tribe, but Indians every where of all tribes seem to give pro mise by their own efforts, of a rapid solution of the Indian problem. Iu a recent interview John Segar, Who has been for many years engaged IU Government work with the Indians is reported to have said: Calling on Joel Littlebird, who lives near, I found him in the field also Joel was plowing with a three-horse riding plow and had a fourth horse hitched by the side of his plow team next to the plow ground, drawing a Section of a harrow as fast as it was plowed, as the ground of course pul verized much better if harrowed im mediately after being plowed, and as the harrow covered about three fur rows, Joel was getting his ground harrowed three times right after plow ing and saving time besides. This is certainly good farming. The sight of Joel plowing this way and harrowing at the same time brought to my mind, by way of com parison, the first time I saw an Arapaho Indian trying to plow. It was thirty-seven years ago, and the Indian had a span of small Indian ponies hitched to a ten-inch plow. A rawhide lariat was tied to each pony's neck and each rope was in the hands of a strong Indian woman, who was walking ahead with the rope across her shoulders and her weight thrown ahead pulling on the rope. An Indian man behind each pony was plying the whip as he thought it necessary, while the Indian who was supposed to do the plowing had hold of the handles, while his body leaned forward at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and instead of holding the plowing he was pushing it. It took five Indians to run that little ten-inch stirring plow, and all, except the Indian who had hold of the handles, were wearing their blankets, and as he had thrown aside his blanket, he was wearing only a shirt, mocassins and gee-string. By this comparison I can see quite an advance in Indian civilization, in connection with farming. LO, THE POOR INDIAN. THE 27. buffalo has disappeared the wild goose is rare the canvas back duck is disappearing, and it has been widely supposed that the Indian had almost ceased to exist. The Indian was our aborigine. We have every historical reason for doubt ing that he was the heroic personage that Fenimore Copper made h'm out to be and yet he was a raw fine man —a good fighter and, even though a savage, a creature with lovable uali ties and is susceptible of educational grpwth—as witness what has been done at Carlisle. It has been sup posed that he was doomed to disap pear from the face of his former ex clusive possessions, not by amalgama tion and absorption by the white race but by gradual extermination in the competition of the struggle for exist ence.—Philadelphia Press.