THE CHEM AW A
AM ERICAN
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for him when he planned for the education of the Indian, but he has
already shown that he has grasped the conditions with a mind of broad
understanding.—The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City.
IN D IA N FARM ERS
The Pottawatomie Indians in Kern County, Kansas, where they have
a reservation, are beating all the farmers in Kansas in some respects.
One of them raised ten acres of seed corn that the agriculturists from
the state college declared the best that they had seen in any part of
Kansas in three years. Of course that Indian got a big price for his
seed corn. Lately three of the College specialists were invited by the
Indian boys attending that institution to visit the reservation and they
spent three days there, holding meetings in various parts of the reser
vation. At the end of the inspection of farms the Indians of their own
motion organized the “ Indian Farmers Improvement Association”
and hold month y meetings wdiich nearly all of the Indians attend.
Other tribes in Kansas are developing scientific farming. Among
them the Kickapoo Indians, who are also asking for farmer demonsta
tors. It would appear that the Omaha Indians will have to look out
for their reputation as farmers. There appears to be a movement
among a good many tribes to start farming in earnest. In some in
stances the Indians claim they have excelled the white faaniers around
them in some lines, but that the white inspectors and judges, while ac
knowledging that fact and awarding prizes accordingly,’have suppressed
the matter for fear of hurting the white farmer’s sensibilities. White
farmers would not like it at all if the fact were published that the Indians
had beaten them.
This Idea of beating the white farmer at his own game, which has
been fostered by s-ome superintendents, has given a great impetus to In
dian efforts. As long as it was conceded that the Indian was inferior and
could not successfully compete with the w’hite man, he made little efforts
to better his conditions. The “ physchologv” of the movement is very
plain.—Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald.