New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-28
THE INDIAN RACES.
PROGRESS IN CIVILIZATION.
GRATIFYING CHANGES TAKING PLACE IL TIE CON
DrrIoS or SOME OF THE TRIBES - EXTRACTS
PROM LETTERS.


subjects which will receive the attention OF Congress
after the holidays is the Indian question. Several
measures bcariu directly upon this subject ana others
(such rs the reorganization OF the army into when
enters "a IN element, are now pending; and various
plans for fixing the status OF the Indian, ana re-
moving obstacles which now supposed TO prevent
his progress in civilization engaging the attention
of commit ees and of individual members OF Congress
Careful investigations are now being made by officials
connected with the Bureau Of Education into the history
Of past efforts in behalf Of Indian education and civza-
ton and circulars requesting information upon these
points well upon tie present condition OF the IN
daus have been sent ont to in various parts OF nc
land who have had exceptional opportunities for study
ing the subject
For sixty years after the adoption Of Constitution,
LITTLE effort was made by the Government 10 control the
Indians except in those matters which rel ted directly
% the safety and convenience Of the white people In
dealing with them the controlling motive Of he Gov
Crnmcut was protect the frontier settlements Tom
hostile Indians To this end, policy entered upon
about the wear 1920 with the object Of purchasing from
the Indians then remaining east Of the Mississippi River
their lands and OF gradually removing them 10 the conn
try west Of that river This, II was expected would give
rs permanent and easily defcnslbe border. The car
ryng ont Of this policy resulted in number Of Indian
wars but spite Of obstacles had been pretty nearly
accomplished by the year 1919 Up 10 that time
the administration of Indian affairs had re-
manned in the hands Of the War Department.
but the relations between the Indians and the
Government had then become entirely changed.
treaties Of peace and Al iiy which had been made while
strong had been ahrocated ana others adapted
20 these changes and conditions had been substituted
Our own remarkable progress had stimulated The Indians
themselves aud Of the tribes, notably the Chcro-
KEGS had already made considerable advance toward
civilization while from many Others the demand WAS com
s that the debts which owed them I'm exchange foc
their lands should be largely applied to the promotion OF
education The attitude Of the Government toward the
indians having thus changed. it thought best to con-
fde the management of affairs largely civil in their
nature TO branch Of the civil administration. In 1919
when the interior Department was created, the manage
mont Of Indian affairs transferred to 1t without se
GUS oppOsi Ion from any quarter.
1t probable that had matters remained they then
were OF had increase npopuatOn ana westward
progress been uniform, settled policy might have been
carried ont which would have been just TO the Indians
and advantageous to the while people and Which might
have had tae result Of Incorporating The former
as not undesirable element in popula
ton. But unforeseen events occurred which made
frequent changes Of policy necessary and which rem
dered II impossible to give any policy fair TRIAL Among
these events tie acquisition OF new territory nc the
close OF the Mexican War; the discovery OF gold Ia Cal
ifornia and the sudden influx OF large body Of men who
cared nothing FOR treaties and little Tor The lives Of
the Indians and later tAe rebellion and the building OF
the Pacific Railroad.
From the best Official estimates there are in the
country about $4,000 Indians OF this number 5000
OF only about Onefth, receive Subsistence from tae
Government Perhaps a majority Of the whole number
are sclf-sUstainug. The tribes the Indian Territory
are said to compare favOrtbly moral social AMI ma
terial condition with many OF the white comlnuni-
ties in the uclghborlng States. Schools, courts.
church organizations and local legislatures
among their cherished institutions Extracts from
some Of the letters sent to tho Commissioner
Of Education in reply to his circular OF inquiry.
show that the state OF things in the Indian Territory
exceptional The first il written by the Rev. s. L.
Riggs and dated Beloit. Wis., December o. This gentle
uau has been for more than forty year missionary
among the Sioux, they called themselves the DaEO
tas lie is the author Of a grammar and dictionary OF
the Dakota language which has just been published by
the Smithsonian Institute. Speaking of the Santce
branch Of this tribe he says
These nave made gfcat progress IN civilization,
chiefly within the last fifteen years. On The Sante@
Agency they all adopted the habits of white people
and are exceedingly anxious to Duy their Land Of me
governments lIl i., 10 DC onaptU 10 ,ahe ,he ii.Is
white meu take hOmcstcadS, not otherwise. I1s last
summer they harvested iine crop of wheat ana have
good deal Of confidence that they support them
serve are suporor Tur are aiia0s AIN conpccrrI with
the inspiring motives winch nave revout0nzcd them IN
50 short time have come from the Gospel OF Christ.
Mr. Riggs concludds as follows:
My experience OF over forty years in mission work
among the DakOaa has produced in me very strong CON
ana that il cah De done most effectively by educating
them III their own language INST and preaching To- thcm
the evangc Of salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord
Inclosed with this letter article cut from paper
called The Tapi Oqye, side OF which is printed in
Dakota language and the other in English. This article
gives history Of what is known tne Flandrau colony
1t says:
one special interest in this community is that II is
COLONY of DakOts who fifteen ago were Blanket
ters but Who are nov citizen farmers living upon their
hOmesfeads midst Of "A
is located near the eastern ue of Dakota Territory In
the beautiful and fertile valley OF the Big Sioux River
lying along that stream lor twenty miles, IT. centre being
about forty mile. from the thriving town Of Sioux Falls
The feature which makes this particular colony notice
able il that 1t established by the Indians Themselves
any Ouisd- source, and ia
Of the Government aud III opposition 10 the wishes Of
their own chiefs.
The most Of the men composing It were engaged IN
the Sioux outbreak Ia Minnesota IN 1852. For three
years they were held In military prisons They all were
n0mally, ana the larger part really converted All OF
them in some sense experienced conversion % thought
and purpose, and they agreed - abolish al
the Old tribal arrangements and customs. When,
however, they returned 10 their people they found
the indian system in ful power, backed BY the authority
OF the United States, ana these commanded at
TO ian IN undor the old chief before they could
ceve any rajions They must remain Indians starye.
one sad couid b1t Dcar 10 nave my children grow up
nothing but Indians" aud 50 they all felt Taking adj
vantage " the absence OF their agent and chiefs twenty
i've families set out IN March, 1869. journey of 1870
miles the Dakota prairie. the Autumn IL
ing one OF the chiefs, followed. Existence was a hard
struggle Tor several years They had neither plOws
would have been com mendabe in any community they
last gained ioOthold and four years after Tie nrst
beginning they furnished with farming elements
and teams by the Government
George W. Lee, Indian Agent az Ypslanti. Mich.
whose Jurisdiction extends about 5000 Indians,
writes Of them:
They have all adopted the mode of dress and living
the whites aud cUltiyauiBR the soft for livelihood.
have lived Ia tins vicinity for the last forty years and
these Indians when came here were untamed an Il
uneultiyaed those Of tie plains ana mountains
OF the West today IL not much TO boast Of the prog