The Chemawa American, October 01, 1913, Page 11, Image 11

6
THE
CHEMAWA
AM ERICAN
on a reservation where he cannot hurt or interfere with the plans of his
greedy white despoiler. He is not a citizen. He has no more rights
than a child. His rations are doled out to him like any other prisoner.
In effect he is little better than a paroled prisoner—a sort of class A
trusty.
This is the stand taken by the wealthy Philadelphian, and upon it
he has built up a plan of campaign for citizenizing the Indian. All
this deplorable condition is to be changed, if Rodman Wanamaker has
his way, and is being changed by his faithful lieutenant, I)r. Joseph
Kossuth Dixon and his staff of co workers, among whom is Major
James McLaughlin, Inspector of the Interior Department, detailed by
Secretary Lane to accompany the expedition. Dr. Dixon has the mag­
netism that inspires confidence in the crafty Indian, suspicious of the
good intentions of the white man, and with a hereditary right of dis­
trust of the overtures of his white brother. Mr. Wanamaker, who is a
son of the former Postmaster-General under the Cleveland regime, the
Philadelphia and New York dry goods multi-millionaire, has the mon­
ey to devote to such a vast enterprise, and it will take a lot of money
Ixffore the task of civilization becomes an accomplished fact. Thus the
doctor and the capitalist form a strong combination for the civilization
of the red man. But the spark of sentiment has become flame and
soon will burst into a healthy blaze.
Already this sentiment has been materialized into an Indian memorial
at Fort Wadsworth, the highest point on the coast from New York to
Florida, the first spadeful of dirt for the building of which was dug bv
ex-President Taft on his last official visit to New York. The figure
of a North American Indian of super-heroic size, rising to a height of
165 feet is to adorn the memorial building. It will be a rival in its im­
pressive greatnesss to the Statue of Liberty. But that is merely the out­
ward show, a sort of declaration of intention. The real work is being
done by Dr. Dixon and his corps of aides, among whom are the doctor’s
son, Rollin L. Dixon.
Love, equality, friendship and confidence in the good faith of Uncle
Sam are the only weapons used by Dr. Dixon in his campaign against
the Indian. His breastworks are the Stars and Stripes, his trenches the
American eagle, and he can make them do what powder and shot have
failed to accomplish. Wrapping the National banner around his body,
Dr. Dixon seems to be able to perform miracles in the way of dissipating
the distrust of the Indian. His quondam suspicion melts like the morn­
ing mist, and, when this eminent missionary has got through with
“ Poor Lo” he is again a noble red man—still an Indian, but an Ameri­
can citizen with a flag, where before he had none. And that flag, which