Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-12-06
INDIAN AFFAIRS N WASHINGTON
TERRITORY,

ne lOECW!nJ are some OF the recon-
mendations Of Congressman Shanks of
Indiana, Chairman of tie House Indian
Committee. as the result of his recent
tour of investigation and observation
among the Indians of Washington Ter
ritory:
Allow the Indians to testify in the
courts as whites do.
Protect the Indians in their real and
personal property from tho encroach-
,ucnt, of trcspassers.
Protect the persons of Indians wives
and daughters from the pollution of bad
white men, the same as white men S
wives aud daughters are protected. !.
Make the personal property of 1ndi-
ans liable for their debts contracted for
the necesaries of life.
Protect their real estate OF reserva-
ton homes from liabilities for debt.
Prevent. 10y severe law, rolygamy
amonr them.
Compel by law, enforce by the courts.
white men TO provide for the support Of
their Indian children.
LegitimatMe the children OF white
men by Indian women, and let them
take by descent from both father and
mother, and prohibit the divorces of
Indians or OF white men from Indian
women with whom they have cohab-
tied.
Allow the Indians to procure divorce
i'll court after full hearing, ana then
only for criminal causes, to be set forth
i'll the law.
Require the same restrictions i'll pro-
curing divorce by white men who have
cohabted with Indian women, that
shall be required Of Indians.
Declare the cohabitaton Of white
men with the Indian women as marriage
to AL intents and purposes, and enforce
1t by order Of the court when its duties
are neglected.
If either the white man CT Indian
woman is married at the time of cohab-
l-ation, punish both for adultray, and
tornication, and make tie punishment
OF such white severe.
Protect by law informers Of the viola
ton of these laws
Compel the indians to have fixed
abode, and allow them the same nYivi-
le5eS OF trade and travel now possessed
by the whites.
Extend and enforce the criminal law
over the Indians for oienses against
one another, and also for olfenses
against the whites.
Extend and enforce the criminal law
against white men for otfanees AGAINST
the Indians.
Compel every white employed on the
reservations to have continually in his
service one or moro Indian apprentices
at work in charge on the reservation.
Employ only married men on the
reservation as agents, farmers, millcrs
etc., and make their employment con-
dltlonl upon removing families and re-
naming with them on the reservation
The presence of white women and white
children among the Indians is necessary
to the best interests of the whites and
the Indians.
The schools on the reservations to be
kept open us continuously as practica-
able. There is now serious neglect in
this matter.
Compel every agent to report, under
oath, the respective violations of law by
Indians under his charge, against Indi-
ans OF whites, and of whites against
Indians.
Provide by law for furnishing agents
and employees for the violation of the
duties as such.
Prevent by law the trespassing of cat
tie on Indian farms, as white men are
protected in their farms.
Provide by law against the British,
Indians furnishing Intoxicating liquors
in the State OF Territories.
These, Mr.. Shanks says, are some of
the things to be done to secure Justice
to Indians and protection to the white
people, and that honest industries set
tiers sustain these views. tits probable
that legislation will be proposed at the
next session of Congress in accordance
with the above programme.