The New York herald., 1875-11-29
toward civilization.

form remaining which 70 the
can people relates to the methods which essential
70 any extended and successful effort for civilization
ana believe thai the present unsatisfactory condition
| ia wnlcn Indians Of this country still found, not
WshsIAnang the large and increasing outlays OF
h3S SHsy mnlch we government has been making for
nan century Is due 70 the fact that by the largest
poauon o. ,he expenditures have been made with no
practlcal reference to the question Of civilization An
annuity N money or blankets bacon and beef may
nave tendency 70 draw the Indians within the reach
~ eo government and prepare them for the beginning
OF work OF civilization and also 70 render them dis.
inclined 70 take up arms and 90 upon the warpath but
with any tribe few years OF this treatment
\ is sufficient for the purpose and after this
end has been gained continuation OF the feeding and
So.ns misSout ~ leierence TO further improvement
on the part OF the Indians is simply waste Of expen
diture This has been the with large portion on
/ the money spent upon Indians during the last fny
years II Is that the letter OF treaties NAV have
been complied with by such expenditures and thus tho
credit Of the nation saved in form the spirit OF the
treaties, which uniformly looked toward the cviliza
ton OF the Indians has been dsregarded IN that no
reasonable methods have been devised and adopted for
promoting civilization This Is manifest from the fact
that the question has not been raised whether an
Indian should be subjected 10 system enforced in
dustry, and plan has been devised looking toward
his elevation by bringing to bear upon him the ordi
nary motives OF Industry which are found the re.
sponsbties tnat attach TO self support and individual
manhood
THE CALL TO LABOR MUST HIM
not through memorials or treaties councils or presents
but through his necessities He must be driven to toll
by cold and the pangs OF hunger Then, when he has
taken this first step toward self support his wants,
which At the beginning were registered only IN his
|
creased industry. Naturally, when begins
to toll for that which he receives he begins 10 learn
the value Of personal property rights and thus takes
Individual manhood Congress- at It's last session, rec
ognzing the proprety that Indians like other people,
should toll for what they have, directed that all annu
ties should hereafter be paid only in return tor
form Of labor giving however to the Secretary OF the
Interior discretion which allows Of exemption OF
tribes from the operation OF this restriction This
eminently wiso legislation has been OF great avail to
the bureau during the year in enforcing industry while
! n haa avctta al ttv md
/ slight disturbance. Ii has on the whole. worked
with eminent satisfaction The question has
been raised by the Indians, and sometimes by
their friends, 70 the right Of the govern
meRt to compel them labor condition antecedent
TO receiving that which the government has promised
to give thcm, and without any such restriction being
named In the promise But when It is recolected that
the Indian actually receives that which the governments
has promised him and enjoys besides the benefit OF all
the labor he performs not only in its moral effect OF
promoting habits Of industry but in the improve
ments made and crops raised there can be no hesta-
tion as 10 the positive benefit conferred upon the
! Indian by holding him TO this restriction in
the enjoyment of his funds and when It Is remembered
that the government has upon its hands the and
support OF these Indians not only for the brief period
covered by their treaties, but until they shall be able
TO care for themselves 1t will be that tho in
terests Of the government well those of the In
! dian, require that whatever expenditure is made In
his behalf shall be so made as will tend most rapidly
and certainly to his civilization. For this reason
would most respectfully recommend that the restro-
tions placed upon appropriations for annultes for In
dams by the last Congress be hereafter continued
and that the discretion OF the department releas
ing any tribe from its operations be reduced to the
| minimum which the proper handling of wild Indians
who cannot be at once reduced TO labor Will al
low, and also that authority be gwen TO ex-
/ pend necessary portion OF annuites In preparing
tho ground for Indian labor ana the purchas-
ing of seeds and implements and stock cattle There
have been several instances whore agent has been
unable to put his Indians TO labor because they had
land powed and nothing but their hands 70 work with
and yet these Indians would not consent that any OF
their cash annuity should be expended In these means
OF labor All attempts TO require labor o condition
OF receiving annuites will meet with much opposition
The Indians will resist from their constitutional dis
relish for toll They will also be melted TO such resist
ance by half breeds and squaw men, traders and other
/ interested parties, who always turn up cham
! piong for the rights Of Indian whenever any
measure Is proposed which threatens to dis
turo tu,o. their peculiar pi.,, relation as hts mex.
snS ,ns divide snS bis .nnuSy ,ood nOS n %
forcing civilization become more available and the
necessity arises to compel Indians through the moral
suason OF hunger to do that which they dislike II will
ofthe interference OF this low class OF whites by
why the government should continue 70 clothe and
feed an army OF men who are able 10 shin for them
selves and especially does such obligation toward
men who persist In making the terms Of treaty their
pretext for thwartng the purposes OF the
and retarding the civilization or It's wards A law pro-
vding for their summary election and punishment for
their subsequent return, would relieve many reserva
tion from great embarrassmcnts
/ ECONOMY or CIVILIZATION.
But the adoption OF this method does not by any
means secure civilization IL merely prepares the way
for rational effort in that direction Three essential
Nrst-That the Indian shall be placed allowed TO
remain in country afordng water, timber grass and
soil upon which white man could make living
In the warm and dry climates ordinary facilities for
! irrigation sufficient
Second-The necessary fund must be provided to
carry the untaught barbarian through the period OF his
childhood in civilization This childish ignorance re-
qures much patient and expensive teaching The far
mer mechanic who Is TO be his instructor needs 10
\ be more than ordinary Of that calling and
must receive suitable compensation. No view can be
more short sighted than thai any ordinary aborer will
kp n I'm Ov0 IN md
Awkwardness wastefuL Under the best OF teaching
there will necessarily be large expenditures In the first
steps In agriculture or in herding No man learns
take responsibility and except by experience and
this with Indian at high rates The first COW
yoke Of intrusted to his will quite likely
| be rendered vaueess by mismanagement or eaten in
stress OF hunger and you may be obliged to repeat the
aid in several forms before you will have Indian
farmer capable of providing for his stock Cattle
purchased years since for the Winnebago Indians
Nebraska For years they were kept by the govern
ment at large expense put under the OF farmers
and herders Years since 1t had decided TO
Issue them to the Indians and thus save
the expense at least OF keeping, which amounted
annually 10 the value OF the cattle But few OF these
cattle are now remaining among the Winnebagoes
They have died for want Of have been by
their owners But In this process, expensive Il
BEEN the Indians have learned the value care OF
cattle, and receiving supply, purchased
oy taer own money, ana are giving them the treat
erection Of houses upon reservation IL will be
expensive to attempt TO utilize the rough labor Of
Indian than to hire white labor but the house Is worth
tenfod more 10 him, not only for the increased
est with which he will always regard as the work OF
his own hands but for the lesson OF labor which its
erection has afforded him In the same manner
plough wagon broken in the Indian experiment OF
his useful exercise OF muscle is very costly expendi
ture, and yet experiments which involve all these and
more serious outlays in the end highly economical
For this comparatively brief training period larger
annual appropriations will be required than II the In
dian allowed to continue his life OF vagrancy and
barbarism.
rHE COST FURNISHING scHoor-HousEs AND TEACHERS
in commonwealth will be considerably greater IN any
nve years than 10 allow the children In ideness
and ignorance during that perod but before that gen
Grafton OF children has come to manhood the Tor
police and punishment will be many times greater than
the sum required for their proper education In like
manner in discussing this question OF comparative
economy in the civilization OF Indians must not fail
to count in the cost Of the alternative. When settle
mcnts approach Indian country this uncvilized
class comes into new relations with the government
II they are allowed longer TO they win be heavy
expense either 10 tho people, by maraudinR the
government by the maintenance Of a sufficient military
force to prevent or punish such marauding.
The Territory OF Arizona presents strik-
Ing Illustration OF the economy Of CIV