Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-10-29

dians and the citizens of Southern
California, to encourage the acceptance
of the doctrine that even the Mission
Indians, semi.civilized as they are,
! should be made citizens of the United
States and required to fill the duties
of such relationship besides being
granted the full privileges of citizen-
ship. The Indians must be treated as
wards; and the welfare of whites and
| Indians must be considered together,
inasmuch as they must live and be
mutually dependent on each other.
Attention was called to the wonder
full success of the old mission estab-
lishments, when these Indians were
protected and cared for by the Roman
Catholic Church. The red men were
prosperous, contented and happy,
until the Mexican law of ''seculariza-
tionr confiscated the mission proper
ties and deprived the church of its
power to control and benefit this op-
pressed race-the poor Indians were
robbed of their lands, and thrown
upon their own resources. They sus-
tained themselves by working on the
ranches and many soon acquired
stock of their own; but of late years
legislation has ended their usefulness
as vassals of the ranchers and driven
them into vagrancy, crime and
wretchedness. n They live in con-
slant dread of being dispos-
sessed of their homes, have
lost the privilege of grazing their
fiocks and are practically outcasts.
The Indian has been forced into vi
cious vagrant and his disposition to do
wrong Is encouraged. Prostitution,
drunkenness, robbery and murder
have been the common results. The
consequences of neglecting these poor
creatures have been fearful, not only
to them but also to the white settlers,
and as the development of the country
progresses we find ourselves menaced
with constantly increasing difficulties.
Further north these Mission Indians
have almost Disappeared, but In
Southern California they still remain
In large numbers. '.e
The Com missioner's plan Ia to re-
produce as far as present circumstances
will permit the old Mission system,
and to revive the slumbering infu-
ences which once controlled these
christianized Indians. The first duty
is to adjust and determine the rights
of the Indian on public lands; their
homes should be reserved from pre-
emptiOn, not exceeding five acres to
each Indian family. Patents for these
lands should be issued to some respon-
sible party to be held in trust for the
Indians, and any sale of these homes
should be, void unless approved by this
trustee. Thus all inducement to cor
rupt the Indian for the sake of secur-
ing his title to land would cease. The
Indian would be satisfied and secure
inA bis home and could becompelled to
improve it by making substantial en-
closures, etc. 95*~- ~ fiosFs so35o)
Hessuggests that a law be passed au-
thorizing Indians to contract for the
purchase Of lands or to receive gifts of
the same on private ranches or farms,
provided that the little be vested, as in
the other case, in the hands Of a trus-
tee, with similar restrictions as to its
transfer or sale. This would enable
ranchmen TO settle about them the
Indians whom they employ. Z 6FuS
he further suggests that q central
town or rendezvous be selected for
these Indians, and inasnluch as they
are all Roman Catholics that church be
invited to establish fer them Mission.
The influence of such an institution
might in q great measure restore the
former prosperity of the Indians. No
compulsionl should be used to compel
the Indians to accept any particular
abode except in cases of habitual VA
grancy; but the plan should be to en-
courage the development of the Indian
town and Mission A resident agent
should be appointed to carry this plan
into effect. He should have power to
seize any Indian who is vagrant,
habitual drunkard or prostitute, and
hire out his or her service to labor
the proceeds after the end of given
term ofsuch servitude to be expended
upon the home of the Indian; or as
punishment for vagrancy the Indian
might be compelled to work speci-
fled time in improving the lands ofthe
Indian town. Indians should be
treated as vagrantswhoremain longer
than twenty-four hours within the
limits of any city or town unless they
have employment.
'l5n9it8 l.I