3.  In the helpless condition in which we have left him, he has a new wrong now, because when he votes he is of political importance.  If you will read “Lend A Hand,” you will find an illustration where the Indians in North Carolina had become citizens and had votes, and because those votes were cast against the powers that be, they were willing to go all lengths, even to closing the schools, in order to accomplish their purposes.

And this is to be more and more a vital question, as more and more they are becoming citizens.  We talk about “dirty politics!” Is it not a proper name, when, in order to get votes, schools are to be closed and children left in ignorance?

4.  There is no earnestness of purpose in a majority of the Government officials to protect him from wrong.  To show exactly what I mean; recently, in Southern California a lot of land grabbers took from the Indians their land.  When private individuals ascertained the facts, complaint was made and an order was issued for their removal.  The time fixed was March 1st.  On July 1st inquiry was made, and the agent said the order had been carried out.  But individual examination showed the settlers to be there still, and five saloons open in defiance of law.

In a similar way recently, the representative of one of our philanthropic societies had arrested an agent who had committed a crime.  It was so clear a case that he was found guilty at once.  Let us hear this travesty of justice.  The law required a fine and imprisonment both.  The fine was placed by the Judge at twenty-five cents, which the Judge paid himself.  The term of the imprisonment he made one day, and told the Sheriff to allow the jail, in this case, to be the agent’s own comfortable home.  Shall we be obliged to constitute Law and Order Leagues to see that the laws of the United States are executed?

This is the awful background as the starting point for this discussion.  Some people question whether or not there is a personal devil.  If any man would study the Indian question he would be convinced there was not one only, but a whole legion of them.

But, friends, so long as these are facts, there is an Indian question, and there is going to be one until these things are settled.  There is nothing ever settled in this world till it is settled right.  In the progress that has been made in opening up the possibility to the Indian, of civil rights, we may be inclined to relax our efforts in his behalf.  The passage of the Dawes Land in Severalty Bill was, indeed, a great day for the Indian.  It opens the door by which he can have a home on land of his own and become a citizen, with all the privileges thereof.  Here, at last, is solid ground upon which he can stand.  But we must not forget that that bill is but the commencement of what is needed.  He is but a child with new rights truly, but in his ignorance he does not know what they are.  He is surrounded by enemies as before.  While he has the law and the courts, the nearest Judge may be one hundred to three hundred miles away.  He must be brought more under the care of the judiciary.