The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-05-08

the care Of cuttiog and stacking hay
tor winter, and on which deer do live
In prime condition al the year round
without care. That such a system
ever should have been in.ugurated is
matter for profound sstonisbmept, put
that it should be contioued after fiftv
years of terrible experience Of its bloody
results 10 unaocountable on any othe,
hypothesis than the reckless determin-
alton of unprincipled politicians to
preserve this open road to the public
purse. That the Indian Bureau is cor,
ropt beyond conception of moderately
honest men is patent to any careful OBJ
server who looks with honest scrutiny
into its affairs. That an Administra.
tlon should claim credit for reform in
the conduct of Indian affairs, while
spending millions yearly 10 the old bus.
mess OF ''maintaining Indians" is one
OF the strongest proofs OF the fatal iu-
difference to their own affairs, or ignor-
soce Of them, on the part of the Amer.
lean people, which is now threatening
the very existence Of their institutions.
PRESENT POLICY A PREMIUM FOB
1DLENEss.
What difference is it to us whether
tho Qaakers, Presbyteriaos, or unre.
generate sinners are the Government
agents in fostering the vices of these
savage hordes? That man or set of
men who promise them bread wlthou,
work is public enemy, and I care not
1t his cost be drab, black or butternut
brown. The philanthrophy which
seeks to feed them while they live on
lauds ready to teem With agricultural
wealth, ia response to tho labor of a
child, is misnomer and disgrace to
any man Of ordinary intelligence. The
man who taxes Industry to foster idle.
ness and crime is no statesman, and
the Administration which supplies the
Indian with beef while be raises DO.
nies to facilitate the massacre of those
enterplisirg meu asd women who led
the van in the Westward march of
Empire, deserves the contempt and ex-
ecration of oil lovers of the race. The
genteel affectatlon Of ignorance of the
arts of labor which characteristics these
red aristocrats has for fifty years, been
made the plea with the original band
OF treasury robbers, and weak, we'll
meaning philpsshrophists engaged, in
taking care of the Indian, for supply
log his wants until he learns the art
Of agriculture! He seems to learn
fact. ae knows already how to watch
the Government agent, his teacher,
plant potatoes and corn al day; can
follow the process so closely With bis
Keen, cunning eye, that he can trace
every row io the night, aud pick out
the seed to feed his pony. He has
known this much for a quarter of a
century, but never eets beyond this
stage of advancement until stealing
becomes unsafe, and starving immi-
nent.
He has had no trouble in learning
euchre and poker, and the same natural
ability will teach him the art of hoeing.
when there is no hope of living with.
out this useful branch of knowledge.
Shareholders never knew how to work
until thrown upon their own resources
but they begin to show that they are
not below the average standard of hu.
manity. They and the Indians were
for many q year and day the iabor-des-
pislng aristocrats of this country but
the former have learned, through a
little wholest me discipline, that man
may work and live, and be "a man for
a that" May We not hope that our
other nabo might condescend to hold
the plow and handle the hoe, if it came
to a question of life or death With him, ,
as it is with the rest OF mankind ? II
be ate no beef until he rais ed it, it would
taste better, and he would have less ap.
petite for baking babies and scalping
mep. As to how this is to be brought
about, the British Government has ans
~ered this question long ago, by giving
the Indian the same chance to live that
it gives to other men, making him
amenable to its laws and securing him
their protection ; legislating for him as
if he we're q man and not an exception
al animal or collection Of 4 nevelist'a =
brain, pursuing toward him one steady
limo of action, so that he knows what
to count upon, and knows that if Re
raises corn his right to keep and use
it will not be left to the operation of
Indian law, and that if he commits
crime, it will not be his tribe that must
suffer tho penalty. There can be 10
greater outrage on the name of justice
than the policy by which our well.dis.
posed Indians are made to suffer for and
by the crimes OF the vlcious-no great.
er mockery than the attempt to oivilize
them while herd,ng them on reserva-
tions, and so making it impossible for
one to abandon any custom Of his tribe,
until a majority are ready for the
ohenro 0nr Nou.rnnon% hos mr. nat