bury all past ill-feeling and proclaim abroad to all the nations of the
world our firm allegiance to this nation and to the Stars and Stripes,
and declare that hereafter and forever in all walks of life and every
field of endeavor we shall be as brothers striving hand in hand and will
return to our people and tell them the story of the memorial and urge
upon them their continued allegiance to our common country.
This the chiefs signed, some with pen, some with thumb mark.
The expedition has been declared by Eastern writers tobe far-sighted,
patriotic and altruistic. Certainly it is unique in the annals of history.
Nothing comparable to it has happened in the dealings of one race with
“" ^ W a s h in g to n 's birthday, February last, the key was turneed in
the lock that opened the door for this expedition. President Taft with
other National officials, and men of eminence in all walks of life, to
gether with 32 Indian chiefs from the Northwest, some of them from
Oregon, representing 11 different tribes, assembled at old Fort Wads
worth, overlooking the Narrows in New York harbor, the highest pom
of land in the harbor, and to the booming of cannon opened the groiini
for the National American Indian memorial.
Mr Wanamaker then conceived the idea of sending tort i a nr<
expedition to the North American Indians, under the leadership of
Dr. Joseph Kossuth Dixon, a close student of Indian affairs who has
conducted two previous expeditions for Mr. Wanamaker- making a rec
ord of their lives, manners and customs.
The plan is to visit every tribe of Indians in the United States hoisting
this same flag, using the same ropes, thus linking all the tribes to t ie
monument, and at the same time instill in the mind of the Indian a pa
triotic aspiration that would result in seeking citizenship.
President Wilson, Secretary Lane and Acting Commissioner Abbot
so heartily agreed to the proposed expedition that thay gate it their fu
and enthusiastic sanction and each of them delivered an address into
the phonograph to be recited to every Indian tribe. President \\ .Ison
said in his address to the Indians.
‘•Because you have shown in your education and in your settled ways
of life staunch, manly, worthy qualities of sound character, the Nation
is about to give you distinguished recognition through the erection of
a monument in honor of the Indian people in the harbor of New \o rk .
The erection of that monument will usher in the day which 1 liornas
Jefferson said he would rejoice to see, 'when the redmen became truly
one people with us, enjoying all the rights and privileges we do, and
living in peace and plenty.’ I rejoice to foresee the day.
The last expedition left Philadelphia on June 7, in the private car
Signet, on their 25.000 mile trip, to occupy six months of tune, in their