Red Lake news. [volume], November 15, 1915, Image 3

About Red Lake news. [volume] (Red Lake, Minn.) 1912-1921

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
THE FOLLOWING 1-8 A CONDENSED
SUMMARY OF THE EXTEMPORANE-
OUS ADDRESS MADE BY COMMIS-
SIONER CATO SELLS ON THE LAST
DAY (RETURNED STUDENT'S DAY)
OF THE CONFERENCE RECENTLY
HELD AT SAN FRANCISCO.
(Continued from last issue.)
In our labors with these primitive people,
we are too prone to become impatient. There
is a disposition to expect a revolution rather
than evolution, such as has come about in
two thousand years of the white man's civi
lization. It is unfair, it is unjust to expect
more rapid progress from the Indian than
is shown in the development of the white
race.. If I were called upon to indicate
the one important word in our relations
with the Red man, it would be patience.
In this splendid audience of Service em
ployees and friends of the Indian, there
are a large number of returned' students.
Let me briefly address myself especially to
the products of our Indian schools.
I find among returned students on the
reservations something of unrest a more
general tendency to want a job in the Ser
vice than is best for their own future. The
real genius of our Indian Schools is indus
trial in its purpose, and should be in its
accomplishments. There are but few, if any
educated Indians who cannot return to their
allotments and soon become self-supporting
in agricultural and stock-raising pursuits,
and especially is this true, when under pro
per circumstances to extend it, advantage is
taken of the reimbursable fund. There are
'thousands of white tenant farmers strugg
ling to pay off their annually given crop
mortgage, who would be thankful for the
4ppor4 unity~of thfe^gtagjwbo has an allqfc
*ment, and the priimege^of a reimbursable
non-interest bearing loan. A job as police
man or a clerkship is menial in comparison
to the dignity and prosperity to be attained
by independent effort with such advantages.
"The Lord helps those who help them
selves." Let me give you an illustration
I have a son, a Junior in the University of
Chicago. School is now in vacation. Is he
spending the summer as an idler indolently
waiting for the opening of the new year?
No, he is this summer spending every work
ing hour earning money to help him through
the next-school year- When he fails to do
this he will not gp baqk. Tim treatment is
not chastismentit is training. I take
this course because I love him, and he wil
lingly responds. It is because I am the In
dian's friend that I speak plainly. The
best friend is the one who tells the truth,
and does not deal in circumvention or de
ception. The responsibility resting upon
the Indian youth of today is greater than has
ever fallen upon the young man and woman
of any race in the.history of-the would. Your
success or failure will largely determine
the future of the Bed Man of America.
The eyes of the Caucasian race are upon you.
If you demonstrat your capacity to take on
the edjaea^ioiF offenwKiir Indian schools, if
you utilise the equipment thus acquired,
and affirm your capacity for advancement
and self-support, if you rise to the occasion
and give living evidence of the progress of
your people, the expenditure in your behalf
will have been justified then you and
your friends who are earnestly undertaking
ito work out a future for you and perpetuate
your race will be equipped with armor to
make a successful defense of your people
and their property insttfe tbe permanent
w:
I
A.
establishment of your schools and all that
goes to justify the deuial that the Indian is
a "vanishing race," If you do not measure
up to your opportunities, you fail at your
peril. Whether you are able to meet these
demands depends upon you. Jf you fail,
there are those who will use it as an argu
ment in support of their aggressions upon
your people and their property, and thus
endangerthe possibility of thenext -genera
tion having similar opportunities. I have
faith in you and believe you will make good.
Speaking now more generally I repudiate
the suggestion that the Indian is a "vanish
ing race." He should march side by side
with white men during all the years to come.
It is our chief duty to protect the Indian's
health, and to save him from premature
death. Before we educate him, before we
conserve his property, we should save his
life. If he is to be perpetuated, we must
care for the children. We must stop the
tendency of the Indian to diminish in num
ber, and restore a condition that will in
sure his increase. Every Indian hospital
bed not necessarily occupied with those
suffering from disease, or injury, should be
available for the mother in childbirth. It
is of first importance that we begin by re
establishing the health and constitution of
Indian children. Education and protection
of property are highly important, but every
thing is secondary to the basic condition
which makes for the perpetuation of the
race.
I am told that there was a time in the
history of the Indian Service when approxi
mately fifty per cent of the employees were
transferred annually. I have heard of these
who have changed the location of their ser
vice as many as seven times in five years.
All requests for transfers now invite investi-
gaiioo,^hota^-o^ihfi ^eagoa^iven ,and the
service record of the applicant, with such
action as developments justify. The trans,
fer may be granted, a promotion is not im
possible. However, the disclosures thus
acquired may suggest demotion, or even
separation from the Service. Employee
tramps are a menace to the Service. The
best test of efficiency is long and satisfac
tory service in the same place. The number
of transfers during the last year has been
greatly reduced as compared with proceed
ing years, and you may be sure of a very
substantial reduction in the future.
The student tramp is for many reasons
(Continued on Page 4)
?m35H^*^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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