Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-08

~ my oplnlon our cHOrts should be main.
ly directed TO ihe following points:
!. The flrst thing necessary is that VIC
should keep good faith with the Indians in
every respect
The pursuit of hunting is as much as
possible to be discouraged among the in
dlans. To this end they should be permit
ted to possess only limited supply of arms
and ammunition. aud their ponies should
DC exchanged as much as practically, Tor
cattle.
3. AS number of Indian tribes are still
depending, in part at least, upon hunting
for their sus,enance, their waits must be
provided for in another way. They should
be gradually gathered together upon a
smaller number of reservations, where az.
ricu'ture and cattle raising can be carried
on with success. and where they can easily
be supplied with their nccessarics until they
are self sustaining. II is recommended that
all or 'aost of the southwestern tribes be
gradually located in the Indian territory :.
mat there be one or two reservations in the
northwest. this side of the mountains, and
q similar consolidation Of reservations on
the Pacific slope, to accommodate the ex-
treme western and northern Indians
a. While Indians cannot be expected to
become successful farmers at once, several
tribes have already made appreciabe pro
gress in that respect. and others are likely
to do 40 under favorable circumstances and
judicious management. 1t will be found
that many tribes are more adapted TO pas.
toral pursuits, and in such cases, although
not to be neglected, agriculture should be
made subordinate to cattle raising.
$. The enjoyment and pride Of the indi-
yldual ownership of property being one of
the most effective civilizing agencies, allot-
M nts of small tracts of land should he
made TO the heads of families on all rescr-
vations, to be held in severalty under proper
restrictions, so that they may have fixed
homes. Indians who can furnish sufficient
evidence that they have supported their
families for certain number of years should
be admitted to the bes efits of the homestead
act, and, if they are willing to detatch them
selves from their tribal relations, to the
privileges Of citizenship.
6. To protect the security OF live and
property among the Indians, the laws of the
United States to be enforced by proper
tribunals, should be extenld d over the re-
ervations, and a body of police. composed Of
Indians, and subjec, to the orders OF the
government officers, should be organized in
each of them.
I. The establishment of schools for the
instruction OF the young is gradually being
extended among Indian tribes under our
control. AS far as practicable the atten .
dance Of Indian children shonld be made
compulsory. Provision should be made for
boarding children a. the schools, to bring
| them more excluaiveIy under the contro! OF
educational influences. One of the most i'm
pottant points is that they should be taught
to peak and read the English language. II
Indian children are to be CIVILIZED they
must learn the language of the civilized.
When they are enabled to receive tn, Sc
ideas and ways of thinking through the
most direct channel OF expression, they will
become far more accessible to civilized ideas
and ways of thinking In addition to the
most elementary schooling, boys should be
practically instructed in the various
branches Of husbandry, and girls should
receive good training in household duties
and habits of cleanliness.
s. At many Of the agencies farmers are
employed and salaried by the government
But in some, If not most cases, the farms
have been worked by white men, merely to
raise ctops for supplying the agencies and
the Indians. The farms should be used in
the first place for the inst, uction of the
youths at school. Besides this, the farmers
are to visit the farms cultivated by Indians
to give the latter practical instruction in
their work and aid them as far as may be in
their power.
g. On the reservations the labor of white
men is TO be dispensed with and Indian labor
TO be employed as much as possible. Proper
discrimination should be made in the dis.
tribution Of supplies and annuity goods an
the granting Of favors between those who
work and those who live as idle vagabonds,
so that honest effort be encouraged by tan !.
ible recognition and reward.