| OCR Text |
Show the expenses of returning these Indians to their homes, but that, of course, would be done should the Judians be left without protection, as was feared. Doubtless the persons who indnced these wards of the Government to leave the agency and the country without the knowl-edge or consent of the Department were aware that other Iudians stranded in Europe have been returned to their homes at Government expense, and on that account might not hesitate to abandon the Indians whenever they should eaase to serve their purpose. Therefore the offlce reported to the Department June 23 that if the Indians became stranded and the United States ambassador at Berlin should advance the necessary traveling expenses for returning them to this country, he would be reimbursed therefor out of the Sioux fund. Such action was taken in 1894 through the United States ambassador at London iq the case of four Winnebago Indians who were left helpless in London. Or the office suggested that tile State Department might arrange with the United States wusnlnearest the Indiaus to defray the expenses of their return to this country,ju which event this offlce would recommend that the State Department be reimbursed upon presentation of vouch-ers for the expenditure. This correspondence was referred to the State Department, which replied June 7,1899, that theunited States embassy at 'Berlin had been instructed to take charge of the Indiaus should they become stranded, and to send them to the United States and to draw on the Secretary of Statefor theamount of theexpenses incurred Several applications for Indians for exhibition purposes have been received from county and State fair associations of Texas, but they have been refused for the reason that section 4 of the act of Congress approved May 11,1880 (21 Stats., p. 133), provides as follows: " " * All officers of the Army and Indisn Bureaus are prohibited, exoept in 81 case specially directed by the President, from granting permiasion in writing or otherwise to sny Indian or Indians on any reservation to go into the State of Texas nuder any pretext whatever; and any offieer or agent of the Army or Indian Bnreau who shall violate this provision shall he dismissad from tbepublicse~viw,. Andtbe Secretary of the Tnterior is hereby directed and required to take at once such other reasonablemeasurea as may be neoeasary in connection with said prohibition to prevent said Indians from entering said State. Several other applications for authority to take Indiaus away from home to be exhibited have also beeti refused. Unless great care is xercised in granting such privileges the Indiaus are liable to suffer from neglect or bad treatment. In this connection I desire to quote a report from Lieut. Col. W.H. Clapp, United States Army, acting Indian agent of the Pine Xidge Agency, 9. Dak., in regard to the demoralizing effect on Indiaus of promiscuous exhibitions and ' 6 Wild West 7' shows, which meets the hearty and unqualified approval of this office. This report was dated July 9 and was submitted to the Department July 13,1899, and reads as fifows: I have the honor to request that the following may be brought to the sttentionof the honorable Secretary of the Interior, not ss in soy manners criticism of action heretofore taken, but as being a, statement of fact possibly useful wheu the subject |
