New-York tribune., 1876-12-29

expended in taking care Of the Indians in other
words in coaxing them be peaceabe. There
100 reservations including Of about 10000OOOO
acres Of land territory inside the United States four
times large the State Of Ohio, which neither
the laws Of the United States of any State Terri
tory extend TO protect punish the Indians. Their
only semblance Of law is their petty and barbarous
tribal regulations The boundaries Of these reservations
OF immense extent and it ia impossible 10 guard
them to prevent the intrusion OF whites, who sell
bad whisky and good weapons TO the savages. Expert
ence has shown the utter impossibility OF making
these boundaries anything than imaginary barriers
between the whites and the Indians The reservations
are the resort OF bad white men, who marry Indian
and often become savage than the savages
themselves The white settlers around the reservations
always strongly prejudced against the Indians and
there is constant condition Of irritation, amounting to
q state of semi-hostiy, existing between the two.
No remedy be found for this under the present sys
tenn The first thing to be done toward permanent and
lasting settlement OF the vexatous Indian question is to
extend Of theUnited States over all the tribes
and up entirely the tribal system OF government
Courts should be established TO punish crimes committed
Oh the reservations, whether by whites Indians and
Indians should be taught that they are subject to tho
penalties of the law and at the same time under its
| protection.
When this step has been taken, the next should be to
concentrate all the tribes upon, at most three or four
great reservations This could not be done at once but
would be an affair of years Commissioner Smith does
|
object thinks that in the Of ten years. with an
appropriation OF or $500 900 annually appca
BILE TO this purpose all the tribes could be persuaded' 10
move The principal reservation should be In the eastern
part Of the present Indian Territory adjoining the State
of Arkansas Indian Territory contains about 10000
SQUARE miles Of land, and its present population Is
composed Of about 900 Indians 1t would be feasible
TO collect here about 125000 in addition to the present
population. Allowing so OF land per capita to all
the Indians in the Territory and to all those who
should be brought there there would still remain avery
large unoccuped land to be opened to white set
-ment proposed to compensate the present semi
civilized tribes occupying the Territory for the cession
of the lands winch they now hold In common, and to
induce to accept the system Of land tenure In
severalty, conveyed by patents nalieDable from the
families OF the Indians receiving them for period Of at
least so years simple form OF territorial government
should be extended this Territory, and white men
excluded from it. except Government agents. licensed
traders other employees and such men as are heces
sary to protect the railroads running through the
country
Among the Indian tribes which 1t is proposed to gather
upon this principal reservation the Apaches Co
manches. and other Indians OF Ncw-Mexco. Arizona
and Colorado the whole nation Of the Sioux, the Black
feet the Crows, the ArapahOes and smaller tribes In
habiting Western Dakota and Montana. The Lake In
dams should be gathered upon the White Earth Reserva
ton in Northern Minnesota, which contains thiry-six
townships Of good land with plenty OF TIMBER and with
numerous lakes abounding in fish Bishop Wmppe
strongly recommends this reservation the best point
for concentrating all tribes occupying small reserva
tions in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Eastern Dakota. The
Indians Of Pacific Coast 1t is proposed to ut upon
large reservation in Washington Territory.
The chief opposition which this plan meets with Is on
account Of the contemplated OF the eastern part OF
the Indian Territory for the principal reservation This
section contains best land not occupied by white
settlers to be found In the United States 1t is
only 400 or 500 miles from the seaport Of Galveston.
and is about the distance from St. Louis The
pie Of Missouri, Kansas Arkansas. and Texas are ex-
ceodingly desirous having the Indians occupying
it pushed further westward in order that the country
may be opened to white settlers They know that 1t IL
capable OF supporting dense and wealthy popula-
tion, and that its settlement would greatly con-
duce to the prosperity OF the surrounding states,
Of the great cities that ready TO reach
out TO secure its productions for their markets. and OF the
railroad companies whose lines through the region
or are soon to be extended into it. powerful influence
VIII therefore always exist in Congress against any plan
for dealing with Indians which proposes to settle
largo body them IN perpetuity within the limits OF
this territory and yet the only place under control
of the Government that is perfectly adapted TO such
PURPOSE The fertility OF the lands the mildness OF the
climate and the presence already OF considerable num-
Der of civilized partially civilized Indians who have
an inaenable right to continued residence there, COM
bjpe to make It exceedingly desirable location upon
which TO carry wise and humane system OF gradu-
ally bringing large body OF savages within the pale OF
10 and civilizati0n.