
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
have a revision of the Indian Office. We have considered the plan submitted and spent considerable time on the suggestions made and from it the many resolutions, your committee got many ideas. We finally decided that Indian Congress should formulate a plan, or program, that it can follow; that we shouldn't be too hasty, but have something very substantial and constructive to offer. We cannot decide on that program today, or tomorrow, or this week, but we can decide on a definite program within the next few months. We realize that we, as an organization must decide whether or not we want to remain as Indians or eventually want to be merged into the race of citizens of the United States. The Committee decided that the time is here for a planned program for the progressive liquidation of the Indian Service; that we can no longer go as Indians in a white mans world if we are to enjoy the better things of life. Santa Fe has opened our eyes. We have not seen the Governor, or any of the leading citizens of the town. We have seen no Indians running the businesses, occupying prominent positions in offices in the town, or in the court house. We have heard the people talking Spanish when they should be talking Indian or English. We find that they are commercializing the Indians. We see an Indian in the hotel lobby with a handkerchief around his head, and silver in his lap. advertising this as an Indian country - "Come here and see the Indian in his natural state", they tell you, but they do nothing for the Indian. We are surprised that the Indians of this state are not accorded Social benefits impartially and indiscriminately under the Social Security Act. In other states outside of New Mexico and Arizona Indians are treated the same as other people of the United States. Fifty years ago I passed through here. I have not seen one single piece of improvement in the Indians, they are the same today as they were fifty years ago. At the same time I passed through the State of Oklahoma and I note the great progress made by the Indians of that state. There are lawyers, business-men, professional men, and men up in the affairs of their state, who have been sent to Congress, to the State Legislature, to help run the affairs of Oklahoma. That is the difference between Oklahoma and New Mexico. It is about time something was done for the Indians of this State and Arizona. And what is the most important thing to be done? In the opinion of the committee, it is the right to vote. When Indians go to the polls and cast a ballot they have some power, they can determine who is to represent them in the alls of this legislature, they can determine who shall be their State Officers, and when you gain that power you will find that the people of New Mexico will look up to you and heed your wants. Every election they will come to you and promise you this and that, and give you consideration. There are many plans for the reorganization of the Indian Bureau. Some want to abolish it, others want its functions taken over by the States. A third group want the functions turned over to the Tribal Councils. Another group feels that we cannot get money from Congress to be given to the different states or different groups of Indians to administer affairs without the Governmental agency. The committee has decided to adopt the following resolution and -26-