Viewing page 3 of 107

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

United States
Department of the Interior
Office of Indian Affairs
Field Service

Fort Belknap Agency
Harlem, Montana
March 1, 14, 1946

Mr. Ben Dwight
Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Dear Ben:

I recently expressed to you the addresses that we used in putting out the NCAI paper. I tried to mail them but they wanted $2.46 and I found out by sending them by express it would cost only 35¢ per package. Therefore, I sent them by express, collect. I paid $5.00 recently to the Harlem News which was the remainder of the amount due them for printing the NCAI paper. I advised George LaMotte about this bill but head nothing further from him. However, I will offer this as my donation to the Indian cause.

I received a letter from George LaMotte at Great Falls after he had left Browning in which he seemed to be very much discouraged over the convention. I was at a loss to understand why he felt the Indian Congress did not succeed, in that, nothing of definite importance had taken place at the Browning Convention.

I know that you will agree with me that nothing of any lasting benefit, either individually or collectively, ever takes place without considerable sacrifice and the meeting of oppositions that often are very discouraging. However, perseverance and tenacity of purpose will often accomplish almost insurmountable obstacles, and I believe we are now faced with one in putting over the NCAI organization successfully.

As you well know, I have no personal desires or ambitions that might be acquired through this organization. I am interested, however, in realizing the successful functioning of the same for the welfare of the Indian people as a whole, irrespective of tribal or other affiliations.

As an outsider, so to speak, I wish to advance some ideas that I have concerning the successful function of this organization.

1. In order for it or any other organization to be successful it must be properly financed.

2. The organization must be financed upon a long-time and steady basis.

3. To accomplish the objectives of 1 and 2 above, the financial foundations [[strikethrough]] of [[/strikethrough]] or trusts established for the benefit of minority races [[strikethrough]] who [[/strikethrough]] must be interested to the extent that they will contribute to our organization upon a yearly basis, sufficient in amount to insure that it will function to its objective capacity. This was discussed to some extent by your executive committee the second night of convention meeting at Browning at which meeting our president was present.

-over-