It has since been brought to our attention that
an effort has been made by our Superintendent to discredit the statements of
our delegates in this respect; and that his reports convey in substance that
idea that our people are not in a destitute and starving condition, but
prosperous. We therefore, respectfully and most urgently petition you at this
time and insist that the conditions as reported to you by our delegates are
true in every respect; that almost the whole population of full blooded Indians
are today suffering the pangs of hunger; that comparatively few of them have
any horses with which they could perform profitable labor. We further
respectfully insist that if an impartial investigation was to be made by some
representative of the Indian Office, these reports would be found to be
substantially as related. We also respectfully submit, that when the Indian
Office deems any complaint of sufficient importance to send a special
representative to investigate such complaints, it invariably results in a
favorable report being made in behalf of the Superintendent. This is due to the
following reasons: An inspector, special agent, or representative, is met at
the Station by a private conveyance of the Superintendent; he is taken to the
home of the Superintendent and during his stay on the reservation is the guest
of and is entertained by the Superintendent. In such cases he seems interested
in but one side of the case. We therefore submit that if such representatives
of the Indian Office on missions of this kind were instructed to refuse the
hospitable blandishments of the Superintendent, justice and more substantial
results would be obtained. If upon the receipt of this petition any further
doubt exists in your mind as to the truth of these representations, we would be
pleased to invite an investigation, and believe that if a representative of the
Indian Office would make a personal tour of the homes of these Indians and a
personal inspection of their deplorable condition, a more truthful report of
such conditions would be obtained by your Office.
-The Sacred Buffalo Vision by Robert J. Juneau and Robert C. Juneau
pg.99-100
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