THE
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CH EM AW A
AM ER ICAN
Wrongdoers have been prosecuted; estates have been recovered.; dishon
est and incompetent guardians have been removed; worthless bonds have
been replaced with responsible bondsmen, and hundreds of thousands of
dollars have been saved to Indian minors and safely invested for their
benefit. These direct results are also increased to an extent which can
only be approximated by the moral influence which has resulted, operat
ing powerfully to prevent a repetition of wrongdoing and to insure better
conditions in the future.
The Commissioner believes that the next legislature will enact laws
in harmony with these probate rules, and that permanent protection of
property of Indian minors will be assured.
AW AKENED AMERICAN IN D IA N
B Y A R T H U R C. P A R K E R
K American Indian has written a new chapter in his
life story. The tenth day of December, nineteen
hundred and fourteen, marked a new beginning in
Indian Progress and proclaimed a new day for the red
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race. Upon that day President Woodrow Wilson
listened to the Memorial of the Society of American
Indians in behalf of the American Indian. Never
before perhaps had there assembled so large a body of men and women
of Indian blood, having so wide an influence in the world’s affairs.
Never before had the men and women of the race presented so definite
an appeal covering the condition of all Indians.
The memorial presented to the President was the outcome of an action
of the University of Wisconsin Conference of the Society of American
Indians, and was drawn up bv order of the Conference. The Com
mittee consisted of Dennison Wheelock, Chairman, Prof. F. A. Mc
Kenzie, Henry Roe-Cloud, Hiram Chase, and William J. Kershaw; sup
plemented by the Executive Committee, including the president, vice-
president on Membership, and the Secretary Treasurer.
The meetings at which the Memorial was formulated were held at the
office of Hon. Gabe E. Parker, Registar of the U. S. Treasury. Mr.
Parker, who is a Choctaw, is a member of the Society’s Advisory Board.
Here the various ideas submitted by the members of the Executive Coun
cil were drawn into shape, after careful debate. In its preparation a
majority of members of the Advisory Board, the entire Memorial Com
mittee and all but one absent member of the Executive Council partic
ipated. The strong men of the Society and of the race were indeed pre-
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