The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-04
INDIAN AFFAIRS.

COMMISSIONER SMITH ON THE PAYMENT OF
ANNuITIEs TO THE nJDIANs-cAN THEY BE
COMPELLED TO LABOR AS A CONDITION
PRECEDENT TO THEIR REcEPTIoN-THE
RELATION OF THE TRIBES TO THE GOVERN
MENT
WASHINGTON, Oct 3, 1875
The Commissioner OF Indian Affairs has written the
following lctterto Bishop Whippe:-
DEPARTMENT or THE INTERIOR,
IrSDIAN OFFICE. WASHINGTON, Oct ], 1875
DEAR SIR In receipt of your letter OF the 29th
ut in which you ask whether law has boon enacted
requiring Indians To perform labor a condition
requisite to receiving their annuities In reply nave
praon for the Indian service for the year ending June
80, 1876 copy herewith enclosedl il is quoted
That for the purpose inducing Indians labor and be-
trbutng the supplies and annutes to the Indians for which
shall require ali bodied male Indians between the
yaten for The benefit Of themselves or the tribe At reason
able rate to be fixed by the agent in charge and to an
the provided such Indians shall be distributed
them only condition of the performance Of such labor
under such rules and regulations As the agent may pre-
except any particular tribe, portion Of tribe from the
Of this provision when he deems and
Respecting this enactment of Congress have to say
that my Judgment 1t is in the direction of the best
interests Of the Indians as well as o: the government
Probably hve-sixths of all annuities supplies and
goods annually bestowed upon Indians gratuy to
them, not being based upon treaty obligations The
position now assumed by the government toward In
dams is that of guardian For four years the egisa-
ton of Congress Indian matters has seemed TO
card to greater less extent the absurd theory that
Indians be foreign and independent nations
and has come to recognize them fully each year
simply as wards of this nation whom we are bound IN
right and humanity to protect, for and cvlize
and prepare as rapidly possible for their place
among the citizens OF the Republic. This being the
acknowledged nrst duty of the government 1t
will follow, think, that the expenditure
which the government makes for these Indians either
for their subsistence teaching, should look directly
and exclusively to their elevation out of barbarism.
Nothing tends more strongly to perpeuate barbarism
among Indians than the indisposton to toll To
this motive must be brought bear upon them which
shall be stronger than their inclination to ideness So
long as they can procure sufficient food and clothing by
any means in idleness by the chase there be
sufficient motive brought to bear upon them to induce
labor.
In this state of things | suppose no one win question
the expedency right Of the government If il has
grauity to bestow upon the Indians to make labor of
some sort on their part prerequisite TO the receipt of
such gratuy This the act OF Congress above quoted
does, and also goes further in requiring all
annuities TO be made such basis, except in cases
whore the Secretary OF the Interior at his discretion
makes exceptions This act Affects few Indian tribes
to whom the government has promised to pay, cash
or in goods, certain amounts annually, and il is
corning these that question is raised whether such
action is in accordance wi good faith the part of
government In o:ner words the government
rghtfuly compel an Indian TO labor for what the gov
eminent owes him without laborY To the question in
such unqualified form OF course there Is but
swer Ii cannot But If you will put the question so
the facts the the may be diff
ferent The government has agreed to give certain
tribe of Indians an annuity of from $40 to 500 per
capita, amounting TO from $50 to $500 annually TO each
Indian family of the tribe This money, if
received in cash by the Indians, will be
little If any value to them. 1t is certain 10
be OF some injury, tending, all gifts do, to paupcrism
and ideness and may be of material damage in nduc-
ing ntemperance their part and intrigue the part of
the miserable set Of white who always hang around
an Indian reservation On the other hand let these
Indians first be given distinctly to understand that the
money their own, and that the government proposes
TO give them every dollar of IT. but that they being
wards Of tho government, for whom it is bound TO pro-
vide not only during the few years for which this an
nuty money has been pledged but for all their future
until they come to citizenship, IL must insist that they
shall get the most good out OF their funds that it viii
be greatly for their good TO learn TO labor and that,
therefore, the government will insist that they shall
labor as condition OF getting this money. Would not
the moral sense OF mankind indorse this position
and action of the governments Especially when
it is kept in mind that the labor required of
the Indian is not for the benefit OF the government
but is exclusively for himselt-labor upon his own
house and farm, from which he TO derive the entire
benefit, and which, in crops and improvements, will
bring him, with scarcely an exception in immediate
returns, from ten TO twenty fold the amount Of his
money annuity. And this without taking into consd-
Grafton the much greater benefit which has been forced
upon the Indian by his own labor, leading him
quite habits oil industry and learn fresh lessons in self
government
The case which have supposed is not an extraordi-
nary one IN my experience in Indian affairs, and the
method Of forced industry, as illustrated has been in
operation among several Indian tribes within the last
two years with most gratifying results in inducing
dustry and promoting the happiness and comfort of the
had been accustomed for twenty years to receive
from $3.50 TO $500 per family annually who have been
occupying of the richest OF land in the
United states and yet had become every year more
squald and wreiched and generally had been annually
brought into IA starving condition within a few weeks
after receiving their annual cash payment These In
dams were very much aggreved and angered when,
under my order, the agent compelled them to 60 to
work on their own land and make crop for them
selves condition for receiving their money.
They plead their rights and the faith of the govern
plead in their necessities and the pur-
pose of the government To- benefit them and held them
TO it. The result is complete transformation in the
habits and prospects OF that tribe. They get good
crops from their farms, their children coming in
school, they taking their land in severalty put
ting up houses and acquiring stock and
need only to be held steadily TO the present
restrictions for few years-nve at the most-when
they will come into proper condition for citizenship,
without any cost to the government additional TO tho
funds which have every year been than wasted
upon them IN cash annutes for twenty years
think you will agree with me not only that the gov
eminent had the right to the annutes Of this
tribe to enforce this industry, but also that, in
humanity and kind dealing, it had the right, their
guardian and friend TO do the best thing for them
viz not longer to give them their annues any other
way After few years OF such treatment IL the treaty
obligations still continue and the Indians have acquired
habits of industry IL may be safe and advantageous
again give them part the whole of their annuities
In cash. Very respectfully, your obedent servant
+. r SMITH, Commissioner
Rev. GEORGE WHTPPLE, Secretary American Mission
airy Association, No. 81 Reade street. New York city.
STEAMBOAT COLI TGTON