New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-21
REPORT or TIE INDLAN BO1RD.

REPOKI OF HE INDIhh DOLhN'
The sixth annual report of the Board OF
In liam Commissioners deals with speculative
views rather than individual facts-a mode OF
treatment certainly more satisfactory to the
agents who have disbursed tho Government
appropriations during the last year than to
the friends of the Indian who are accurately
informed Of his actual condition, and know
precisely the difficulties which should have
been met separately in this report.
The whole picture of the national riddle,
the door redskn il, in fact, tinted c0H'eW de
rose. " The period has now arrived the
Board informs Us with sanguine assurance,
." when the Government may safely look Tor
" ward to the final determination OF It's reia-
4" tons with the Indians as separate people;
or in other words, in short time we shall
be done forever with Indian Appropriations,
Boards, and Agents, and behold the idle Sioux
and bloody Apache in trig trowsers, coats, and
paDer collars, earning their own bread and
beef, and salying to the polls no drunken
than other intelligent voters. Especial refer
cnce is made to the Indians In TINS
State who, it is said, are quite ready
for cnfranohisment and to the tribes on the
Pacific coast, and in Michigan. Wisconsin, Ne
vada, and Minnesota, who are now quietly
engaged in various branches of industry"
The suggestion is thrown off in a half sentence,
that at an early date Government may stop
all supplies to these Indians also, and leave
them to their own resources. 10 those who
know the real condition of these tribes how
scan;,; their changes are in competing with the
white settler, even when civilized, this state
mcnt will be received with astonlsh-
ment Five years ago the condition OF
these very men, and the enmity exist
ing between them and white settlers
was held to be so despGTate', hopeiesS' tnat
in the popular belief the only chance " reuei
for them and us was their wholesale externilna-
tOn-a creed still openly professed by large
body of respectable people. The Indian was
held to be q miserable incubus on the body
polite, and given over without conjunction
to the rObberieS Of agents, or the murders OF
military commanders, such as those who one
fino morning disposed of the unnecessary
Piegan women and children. There has been
a great and wholesome reaction of feeling in
this matter religious bodies have taken
hold Of the Indian problem zealOusly, and the
result is that large bodies of the Indians have
been brought into partial state of ciyiliZa-
ton By these religious teachers, and that the
nation has been forced to see that it is pos
6:ble they should be so brought. But the
development is recent. The Indian in the
best caso Ii still in his nonage he requires
long and careful training and friendly en-
couragement before he takes his new role
fairly upon him. it requires that he should
change his whole habit Of mind and body.
I A. <, l..oI
tho buffalo, to come out of the solitude of
his wigwam and go to work and trading
with other men. is az much Of wrench
to hin, physically and mentally, as it
would be to our respectable brokers
and bankers were Wall Street empted
into the Colorado desert. and they for ced to
earn their livelihood by rod and gun. 1t is
just at the crisis when the Dakota and Cher
ohee is mixing this effort with, it must be
acknowledged, an unhOped for energy and
persistence, that it is proposed to withdraw
from him all Government aid, and to leave
him to stand alone. The proposal to bring
the wild tribes into a condition of sclf-sup-
port by furnishing them with means of
work. either by irrigating the land of
the reservations or as herders of cattle and
SUttD, is III OuCt luDlb ItdNOudDlC anu Juob
The statement however. that these Sioux
are becoming victims of dyspepsia from idle
ness and the high living furnished them by
the Government will amuse any one familiar
with the payment of rations. An income Of
one hundred and sixty dollars per annum is
not certain to induce govt in the feet of the
especially when but a small portion
can be expended on his stomach, and so large
n portion often sticks to the hands Of the
disbursers. If the Board had reported
dyspeptc ailments among the agents it might |
have thrown new light upon the matter.
The Board recognizes tho work done 10y
religious bodies in civilizing tho Indian; a
which certainly is due, as abso-
lutely the only successful attempts to elevate !
him have been made by these missionaries;
and the chief obstacle in their way has al
ways been tho unchristian example of the dis |
honesty of white traders, the RIGHTEOUSNESS of |
white soldiers and the cheating OF Govern
mcnt agents. But wo have changed all that, |
.at ~ aape. To- asaA,s ars nov. i. i. " w |,