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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 1916)
Twemty-Ftwr Pa ret East Ori?omm Rwmi-Up Souvenir Edition Pendleton, Oregon, Saturday, September 23, 1918 HE REAL FACTS ABOUT MISSIONARY WORK WITH THE INDIANS (By Kev. J. M. Cornellson, for IS Tears Millenary at Tutullla Mis Ion on Umatilla Reservation.) It Is simply wonderful what the' average globe-trotting writer tries to palm off upon an overconfldlng and unsuspecting public relative to any exceptional people, and especially nhout the Indians who, from the time Columbus landed on these shores, have always had a glamour, romantl-j item and halo about them, particu larly If it tended to show what his torians have ever strained to bring out, namely, their cruelty, destitution and laziness, until their fertile im aginations gave birth to "Lo, the Poor Indian." j Now. It 1m a shame to tear it all down and unbeget this somber and stolid figure, and to do so with the full expectation of calling down on one's head the wrath of his demigod originators. Hut I hope to give Just plain every day facts that can be cor roborated and certified to by any re liable citizen of the county that will cause to tumble down this fiction and dissolve "Lo, the poor Indian." I adjure that. these are not to be the observations of the rover, but more of the squatter Hid, made aft er nearly eighteen years' continuous residence among the Indians and ot work with and for and interest in them, even so for a to the learning of their language that their problem both physical, social, mental and spiritual might be gotten at from first hand information with a view to help ing, one section of them at least, to h'ghor grounds in all these lines. Though Just as the Itinerant's obser. vation Is liable to be cursory, shallow and unreliable; so the resident or par ticipant In such work is liable to be prejudiced, or biased in favor of, and nnlv view one side. Therefore. a tatl'at the first, it la best to give! some unsought anu ouisiue lesumonj from reliable citizens in the county relative to the Indians on the Uma tilla Indian reservation, both as to; their growth, progress and standing! as citizens. When the writer first came onto! the reservation and before he had se- j People are Looking for This Sign LOWE BROTHERS -H. S." PAINT gold In Pendleton by Hale & McAtee They Know What it Stand for ECONOMY, SERVICE AND BEAUTY IN PAINTS, VARNISHES, ENAMELS AND STAINS "Clean Up, Paint Up and Keep It up" It means better health and happiness; In a community and makes it perinunrnt. Iwe Brotfc "H. 8 " signifies that nothing has been left out th'it would make a better paint. U ESTIMATES CIIEEKFVIJA GIVEN. Let uk figure Lowe Ilrolhrm "II. S."' Taint on our next Job. HALE & McATEE cured any personal means of trans portation, he was often seen riding about with John Crow, a rancher of the Uavld Hiram type. A friend ac costed him one day with "Hello, John, who in hell Is that riding about with you so much the-e days?" Reply "Damn It, don't you know? That Is the little fellow that the mission board has sent here to put wings on all these Injuns"- And many guffaw ed at the hugh Joke as It went the rounds. No one claims that those said wings have ever grown over much, and all are willing to admit that the feathers get in other places at some times In the year, about July and Kound-Up time In the cose of some of the Indians. Just the same, few and not all by any means. However, this would soon stop if the white peo ple didn't encourage 'It, and pay them so royally to do such stunts for show. It has llttTe or no other significance to these Indiana at this day. It Is i money that Is in it that makes the feathers grow on certain occasions. Itut that Joke was made seventeen years ago and is mostly out of lue, and one man was frank enough to come to the writer several years later and say: "Young man, we had many a good laugh about your coming on this reservation, and when you pass ed In your mialon work we sort of tapped our heads In that significant way, meaning "buggy," especially when you began to drill that well up on that hill, and began to erect build ings. But as we sea the mission plant now and the result of it in the lives of these , people we don't laugh any more." Now all will be willing to admit that the moral tone, educa tional IdeaU and aspirations, homes and social conditions, and business acumen of the whole reservation has been very greatly advanced in these years. To bring out these results there ha ' been at work many different factors. The Bplendid government school for the children, the Catholic school and m sslon, and the I'resbyterian mission have all done their several parts along their own lines Then, too the very high class of forming done on the reservation by the ranchers, togeth er with their families among the peo ple as examples, have all been domi nant elements In this transformation. Though the example? of some could have been better. Then right here Is where my story really begins, and tes timony taken and exhibited. Home years ago through some de partmental red tape the semi-annual rent payments to the Indians were held up for more than a year. The Indians simply hod to get credit both from ranchers and merchants to live. The annual rentals of the reservation approach 175, 000 or more. This am ount was scattered out among all their friends. I took pains on this occasion to a lt several of the ranch ers and merchants how they were col lecting from the Ii.dlans, especially those who affiliate with the mission For the Sabbath before the money was paid over to them I had made It a point to preach a sermon on the text, "Owe no man anything." And I raid some very strong things about the fellow that don't pay his debts. Just three days after they had their money one rancher said, and this is a typical case of many such replies: "I had out considerably over $1000 'n small sums here and there, and not a note to show for It exaept my memotandum, and their memory, and they have returned it all but I2S and; :vr changes and contrasts have come that man Is not home yet" , where men and women have open'- A grocery merchant said: "Nine- confessed Christianity, and are prsw. tenths of the Indians pay me every tiring Its teaching In their dall cent they owe me. The other tenth lives, and are taking tin mlive part may be a little slow. If my white In ihe church work and Christian tn trade did as well there would be few.fl icnces n the reservation. Some of complaints or suits to collect. A lead- thene people only ten years ago wr ing merchant in an ither line of gooas leaders In the wild life of dancing, had no complaint to make but said, orinklng. gambling, racing and adul 1 am frank to say that you are denl- try Home of their names are writ ing with a very different class of In- tci many times In the police re--orta dlans than we did a few years atro." of Pendleton for they couldn't be So the teulmony could be extended, trusted In town with six-bits when all ad infinitum, to show that the bus;- the saloons were there, enless .t tit-MS faithfulness and honesty of the meant a Jug. Jail or fine. With their Indians are without question. j new vision in life, now they are go-.t 'it couise there are a few sad ex-' business men and many farm their ceptions to all rules which they "say ' own lands, and care for their families, go to prove them But the moral ! The thousands of dollars that used to standards and business honesty that go for booze, headaches and fines, have been set up are so protruding j now goes for better groceries to et, as to have teen caught by all In some j clothes for self and families, lumber degree. Many parents are ambitious i for homes and furnishings for sam. to have their children educated. Many i stock anil implements for work and are seeking to make better homes and I lastly in several instances for the bJt conditions t life for their children. automobiles to be had. more like they are used to In schools. Ex-County Judge G. W. Malonuv. The reflex action of me educated ,an eder ln the Presbyterian church, ?hiidren in the homes on their pax-la jUHt rK:ntIy ln mentioning an ents and the older people has been j Jll(lmn wno j, now ft0jO gji ,id,r god. j .... But unquestionably the most strik- (Continued on Page 1 ) OCE30I Wall Poper, Paints, Glass, Picture framing. Painting' and Paper Hungitig. SIS Main Street, Pcndlotoa. Telephone l.K I ; ..fJSS r Sf A J ,.! f If M . - . 4 ' &oultec&y & IOK30I locaoi 30E301 Tills STong I0I3O e B e Gives You Service Gives You the Price Gives You Your Goods Gives You Your Quality ALL THE TIME Kodaks and Supplies. Rexall Distributors TIIEPMI DRUG CO. Phone 20 AND YOU GET IT QUICKLY o 0 o o 0 o o D o oaoi IOBOI IOBOE I0E300 m) EM? mm 8 YEARS OF UNPARALLELED SUCCESS IN THE FIELD. .f fSBSSPp J - 5 L4 r I : k . a. - , - I: . i" i.! f., - It - Vi - . 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