The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-30
CANADA AND Her INDIANS.
How the Dominion Treats Her Aberi-
zines Honestly and Has Peace-Cana-


zines Honestly and Has peace-Cana-
da Intent Upon Changing Her Indian
Bureau.
[Chicago Times.l
Few Americans know what 1t costs
Canada to be honest to her Indians.
The total Indian population OF the Do
minion. according to the report OF Inc
Department of the Interior for 1877, is
81 900.
priations by the Dominion during the
fiscal year ending the Goth OF June last
was $276, 1886, SO that each redskln cOsts
the country about $3 year, Ihls
money Is spent In various ways. Con-
siderable sums are scattered among
them in the shape of presents, and the
cost of surveying and laying out re-
serves is also very heavy. In addition
to this, S33O,000 is spent every year on
the mounted police force in the north
west. the chief aim and object of which
ID the suppression of the liquor traffic
among the aborigines. Hence her 3d.
900 Indians cost the Dominion $780, 900
n year, equal to an outlay OF $4,000, 900
a year in the United States. Besides
this, the Indian is favored In other mat
tiers, which favors add to the burdens OF
his white brother. For instance, he Is
and taxes levied on the general commu
nifty for the construction OF roads and
bridges.
No customs du ties are exacted upon
the animals. furs or merchandise which
he imports or exports. These abate-
ments-l large In the aggregate-are vir-
tually money payments on Indian &C.
count. The total Indian outlay in fact
does not fall short OF $750,0oO a year, or
90 head of the Indian population. The
Indian legislation Of the Dominion is
now based on the principle that the
aborigines are to be kept In condition
of tutelage and treated as wards or chill
dren of the State. Every effort has been
made to lift the red man into higher
condition and to encourage him to as.
sumo the duties and responsibilities OF
full citizenship, but in vain. His Maker
evidently never intended him to become
q citizen anywhere. In the Indian set
Elements In Ontario, Quebec, Nova SEQ
process Of civilization has been indus-
triously applied to him, he will shoot
and fish and sell baskets, but for work
on his reservation he has no taste, and
nothing on earth will or can induce him
to take to it. In British Columbia ano
the northwest, where civilization 10 yet 9
novelty, he is just as much civilized al
he is in the other provinces where every
machination OF philanthropy, including
the Sunday school, has been brought tx
bear on his nature.
Disheartened by their failure to make
a citizen out of him, Dominion states
men have these ten years past made
him their idiot ward, examining hin
with lollipops, and rigging him out tx
kill" every year in the best Of blankets
Brummagem rifles, and tin medals sup
posed to have come direct from TIT
Great Mother in Windsor Castle. Ii
thus treating him, the Dominion ha
without doubt been honest. but chang
OF policy Is imminent. The people WIN
have vast obligations to meet for publ
works, immigration, etc. cannot longe
afford to supply the Indian with tn
bread of idleness, and furthermore hi
removal from the prairies OF thu
northwest has become necessary il
the interest of the speedy colonization
Of that region. The sky thousand In
dams In British Columbia and the north
west must get further back and let tn
white man and the railway in, or els
get out. Between pushing Lo furthe
north and kicking him oct altogether
there Is no material difference, for h
cannot live in the Arctic circle, and
glance at the map will show that tn
next remove will land him there. In
wear or two at the outside this chang
of policy will be entered on, for alread
there are loud complaints that he is
the way. The construction OF the Cant
dian Pacific railway through the butial
grounds on the Saskatchewan will tol
pie him into the front yard OF the nor'
pole. and what then? Will he conser
like decent idiot ward to die OF fros
bites and hunger, or will he make a fin,
Struggle for existence in the last ditcf
That's the Indian problem which Cam
dian statesmen are now contemplatln
with something OF a puzzled look.