Dear Mr. Holt:
I have been deprived from my irrigation waters, my neighbors
steal my water and I have been studying where to make my report
to, as you have all grades of employees on this irrigation
system. As there is earth without water no living man can farm
his dry lands in the Spring, and the white man has no better
system in his body or being he is no better than I am why I
write you so because he dies just the same as poor Injuns die so
therefore I see why you turn all the water for his side and
leave us destitute helpless. Do you be satisfied if I go up to
the head gate and burst up the head gate and get my share of
this irrigation waters for my crops. Is the white man looking
for war path about this irrigation system? I am all time
wondering where all these white people came from. They must have
come where people are starving and they grab everything they
come to. Where did they come from any way, from above the clouds
or from hell? This puzzles me. Everything they want to
themselves, and they are hogging all the time. Their hunger for
more money is not filled; they all time want more, and as I hear
them often say "Damn the Indians" now, but where them white
devils go when they do die, and who is the man on this earth can
tell me I lie. Oh, no, I have been studying these subject for
many years, white man ways of living is no good to me, I hate it
but I cannot help it, as every year I am fussing about this
irrigation system. Now the earth and water is all time here, but
me, I shall be gone where everybody go time they do die, and I
want to live right while living, now I am losing 5 acres in
wheat and 6 acres in alfalfa, now who can protect my rights
about this irrigation system. You want cash down every time and
from the start my irrigation waters been cut short all time. Now
I have six seven rows, that is all for my $60.00 and how do you
expect any man to be a farmer that way. It seems to me the
government is robbing me out of my money. I want to find out who
is the man betrayed my rights on this irrigation system on this
Ahtanum creek. Since all the Ahtanum creek is a reservation
stream all the creek is ours in first place, and Secretary
Garfield robbed us time he gave our water to the whites at the
Ahtanum Academy. White ladies sang a song to him for more Hiyou
Chuck. Was this fine scheme and now we are robbed today. Who
will help us out. Mr. Lee has power to rob us out of our
irrigation system, he is the man told the head gate man to shut
off. I learn this from one of my white man friends. I remember
one time of seeing Mr. Lee at old man Seluskin house time he
told the old man Seluskin he was a man from Washington, D. C. to
help the Indians on this reservation on the irrigation system,
now this day this very same man is no help to us Injuns. I am
not mad at him when I write you this. Now this irrigation system
is too far beyond the law, don't you take me for a bunch of
Coyotes. Look out, do what is right. I am a person just the same
as whites are: we all live by eating same food, and I want to be
in a right living while living on this earth. I was there in
your office twice but you was gone. I want to see you but I do
not know when. I shall see what can be done toward protecting
our irrigation system on this Ahtanum valley, and you know this
earth and water was here and thereon it was the Injuns, and this
will be all.