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About The Chemawa American (Chemawa, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1918)
95 < \ c Oregon State Library MAH 15 1918 < - _, The Chemawa American COLLECTION P r i n t e d a t C h e m a w a , O re g o n , a n d D e v o te d t o t h e I n t e r e s t s o f I n d i a n E d u c a t io n Vol. X X W ed n esd ay , M arch 13, 1918 THE IN D IA N A N D THE C RISIS No. 21 THE W A Y TO LOOK AT T H IN G S It is easy to whine, to make a fuss, to complain From Hampton, Va., comes a story of Indian loyal when the affairs of the world run counter to the way ty of which the race may well feel proud, The article one may imagine they should. But do matters really is as follows: Charles Roy Morsea, a Sioux of Rower Brule, S. D., get into the kind of a snarl we rebel against, or is the who is in his third year of the Hampton Institute busi fault in us on account of the view we take of affairs ness course, recently spoke before an audience of in general? The wav we look at things is mighty important 1500 persons, including 400 members of the 372d In when summed up. If we should ^persist in seeing fantry Regiment, which is now stationed at Camp everything in the worst light possible, then, so far as Stuart, Newport News, Va., on “ The Indian a Cham pion of Freedom.” His remarks were received with we are concerned, everything would really be pretty- great enthusiasm by those who had assembled to cele bad. On the other hand, if we throw a little opti brate the signing of Rincoln’s famous Emancipation mism into the “ seeing” of things, whatever we gaze upon will look brighter and our thoughts will be Proclamation. He said: “ The Indian has always been a friend to the white better, purer, and nobler. Each and all of us create man. During the period of starvation in 1609, friendly a world to suit ourselves, largely. In other words, if Indians brought food to the Jamestown colony and, we take a sick view of affairs all the time we create for from that time on, the races learned of each other and ourselves a sick world—really, we make the world and selected the best ways of living. Royalty was estab the people thereof sick of us! We are responsible agents in the matter of being lished. happy andso-forth. We can see things as they are, “ We read of the Indian fighting in the Revolution ary War, the Civil War, and the Spanish-Améric an take them at their real value, be happy if we will; or War. Gradually he approached the stage of an active we can see no good in anything, take nothing at its citizen and today he can be found in almost every kind true worth, and in the end, as the result of our own error in mental vision, niake ourselves most miserable. of industry. “ The Indian loves not only his country but he loves Come to look at this matter seriously, is it not ridic and respects his countty’s government. He awaits the ulous the way we sometimes fix affairs up for our- call of the American sons, the call of the native sons, selves? In proof of our point in asserting that happiness then he will answer, not with a war whoop, but w’ith a Silemn, stern spirit, fighting that the world may have comes from within, we, each of us, can call to min'd some-one whom we have known who was happy liberty. “ To the Stars and the Stripes, my father has been under most distressing circumstances. And we can loyal, both in the past and the present. During the also recall instances where people who possessed Spanish-American War he entered that great army wealth and lived in luxury were very unhappy. Try to look on the bright side of things. It is and did his part in Cuba and the Philippine Islands. Today he is across the waters doing his bit, and there better for all of us to do so. In looking at things are probably about five thousand of the red race over do not belittle the really great and noble things of there fighting that the world may enjoy the brotherly love that now exists all over our United States. My the world—the great works of genius of hand and mother is in the Red Cross Service, thus leaving me brain—but keep them great in your mind. By and at Hampton alone; but may my práyer be granted for the same reason keep the little things little. Do not allow yourself to magnify and distort little things tliat soon I will be able to do my duty by the flag. “ Our country has only one flag—the Stars and into matters of consequence. If things are really Stripes. It is the flag of freedom—the flag of free little make it your business to see that they continue men. Ret us as citizens of this country give our small by thinking of them not at all, or if they are bodies, our spirits, and our hearts, to the acts of all ever, given mental recognition, see that it is as little things—very inconsequential. that will make us true American citizens.”
