New-York tribune., 1874-06-23
TUR INDIAN PROBLEM.

TIE INDIAN PROBLEM.
We have had placed before us the Report OF
the Commissioners appointed to examine INTO
tbc condition of the Red Cloud and MILESTONE
agencies. aud the Indians connected with them
Those Indians are stated to be the most dis
tant of the Sioux from clviliZing influences;
and 1.-THE agencies are the resort in Winter OF
"mutitudes of rowing Indians" turbulent and
i'll disposed. The Report deserves attention
from the high character Of part of the Com
mission (of which Bishop Hare is chairman),
and because it offers definite opinion, ana
reasons for that opinion, with regard TO the
support OF the agents by military force. The
Commission exonerated the agents from the
charges of fraud brought against them; 1t was
only to be expected they would do 80. In
these cases the decision may have been Just,
although it would be easy for any agents sur
rounded only by their own employees to WASH
their hands in apparent innocence. more
important part of the Report to those interested
in the pressing Indian problem is the sugges-
ton that each agency be supported by mill
tary force, held at a short distance from the
post. As the use of this force appears to be
the intimidation of lawess Indians who hinder
the agents in the proper discharge OF their
duties. we can see no reasonable objection to
it, provided always that the garrisons thus
introduced do not, as they generally have done,
become in their turn agencies for the dissent
nation of all kinds of RIGHTEOUSNESS and
drunkenness.
Bishop Hare induces us to hope this may
not be the case in future, arguing, oddly
enough not from the virtue of the white
man. but that of the savage woman and the
enforced exclusion of the red men from the
forts Now, we believe that it is eminenty
fitting that these children of the Government
should be made to feel, like children, that
their fathers hand is strong; but strength
without justice never yet reformed OF con-
| auered a child or an Indian. If military posts
are to be established near the agencies, double
caution must be eXerted in choosing the
agents, as, in addition to giving them the
chance of defrauding the Indians as at pres
ent it makes them in effect their judge. jury,
and executiOners 1t is noticeable, also, that
no such protection has ever been asked for
the missionary stations, nor in our knowledge
have any of the missionaries ever been mo-
Tested by the most savage tribes. Stpcter ac-
cordance by agents and traders with tho prin-
ciples of these Christian men would protect
them more effectually against the savages
than any doubling of forts along the Black
Hills. In this fact lies the gist of the whole
matter. The Commission report that great
change has taken place among these untamed
| Sioux since the establishment of the Christian
| peace policy of the Government; such is
| their tone and temper that a general war
movement among them is almost out OF the
"question." There is no indication that
they have now any desire for war,
OF are making any preparation for
| it. We have, on the other hand, state
| ments of the successful efforts made by large
bodies of Indians to engage in farming, to
establish villages, to accept, in brief, ciyilza-
| ton in their own slow way. 1t is the first
| time, since the relations between white and
red men began, that any radical reform has
| been induced in them, and 1t is in direct con-
sequence of our acting for the first time
toward them as o Christian nation.
The keenest sense of justice should govern
| our dealings with them now to maintain this hold
on them. We confess we do not find such
Justice in the terms of the treaty cited by the
| Commission, wherein murders and rObberies by
whites on Indians must be reported at Wash
ington before arrest or punishment can take
place, while injuries by Indians to whites are
cOgnizable by the agents. Nor can we ap-
prove of the proposal to take from the In
dians their right given by formal treaty to
hunt outside of their reservation, until at
least they have the land and knowledge re-
quisite to support them by farming. "Tick-
" ing and blue drilling" with which it is pro-
posed to stop their complaints, will not take
the place Of food To sum up the whole In
dian question, fact and not sentiment ought
to govern our policy; and the fact is, these
people a.e not beasts, bpt lazy, quick sighted,
emotional men Of another color AID less edu-
cation than ourselves. Nor should the Com
mission judge too hardly the "rowdyisnl
and thefts of these heather Sioux. since we,
with nearly two thousand years of Christian
| ity on our side, have just proved it is impos-
| sible for us to deal with them without bccom-
ing swindlers and robbers.
The amusing part Of the late agitation in France