Weekly Chemawa American., November 06, 1908, Image 1

entity Oeooitaiwat JFQmrQerfiesiirfi
VOL. 11
NOVEMBER 6, 1908.
NO. 20
Denounce Fair At Toppenssh
Indians Ate Fleeced by Unscrupul
ous Whitos, Says L. V. McWorther,
Serious complaint was filed against
the Indian fair, or potlatch, which was
recently held at Toppenish, just inside
the Yakima reservation in this county.
L. V, McWhorter, who probably has
had more experience with the Indians
and knows them better than any. other
white man in the state of Washington,
has prepared an open letter on the sub
ject, which reads as follows:
"The great Indian fair, or potlatch, at
Toppenish has closed. The gaily blank-,
eted visitors from the Umatillas, Nez
IYrce and kindred tribes have left for
their distant homes while many a Yak
ima awakes from the testivities to wrestle
with 1 Le wolf at the door. The good
white neighbors. would do well to consider
some of the . things which transpired
during the two weeks of the . potlatch.
What was the object of this much
wxploited fair? If for a social and moral
hetterment of society, it was a marked
failure; but if for a bacchanalian revelry
and tleecing of the inebriated native,
then, surely, it was an immeasurable
success. '
"To one who has studied this phase of
Indian life the gathering was an orgy of
debauchery and a disgrace. Firewater
isjhe bane of the redman, and with a
nailery oi seven saioons iiariKeu oy a
e 1 j l T . 1
he could raise a dime, felt no want for
turn. The writer saw more drunken
Indians there in one dav than he ever
did before at one time-in his life.. Old
men, bleary-eyed and staggering; young'
men reeling or wallowing in the mud
wee to be seen in numbers at all times.
Nor were such sceires confined to the
men alone. One intoxicated Indian was
pick.d up on the streets,, and thrust in
the city jail to die. 1 ,
The better class of Indians were dis
gusted. A Nez Perce pointing across
the street to a comely young Yakima
woman , said, "That women was drunk
last night and her friends had to care
for her." Then turning, he designated
a young Indian, a mere boy, who bare
headed, was going to a pawn hop to
redeem the hat xs hich he l ad "eoalu d"
for whiskey the evening before. At
times this soaking business was carried