Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-10-12

essential part Of our national life, it becomes
necessary 70 adopt plans, not only to work
harmoniously for the present but TO look
far into the future. Christian people hare
NO longer the right TO cherish the hope that
the Indian q~uestiol is going to be settled by
vlsitation Of God. through the agency Of dis
ease. We will not believe they ever felt il
should be settled by determination. The
policy Of massing the Indians in great num-
bers by gathering them into Indian terrific
~ and . few large reservations, il fatal to
true progress. II sounds plausible, but il it
were possible, it is not right. 1t cannot be
done without di~sregarding the rights Of
every tribe. Two things urge the adoption
of the plan, the greed Of the white men for
Indian lands and the half sentimental way
Of looking at the question held by too many
good people. 1t is dream of many to find
q Wholesale way Of outstanding the In
dians. 1t is q beautiful theory to. do the
job by contract. I'M lot, and have them
away from us by themselves We must not
forget our childrenfs interest in this land
with Indians, Germans, Irishmen, Chinamen
etc. Since they are to remain and form .
part Of the nation, the sooner legislation
recognizes and conforms to this fact the bet.
ter for them and US. We should do all in
our power to secure proper legislation, SO
that the Indians every where shall have the
privilege Of taking and holding public lands
like other citizens. They should be placed
under the protection of the same laws that
protect US, and punished the same as the
whites. In this connection the committee
allude to the memorial of the Dakota mis-
sion. It is to be regretted if any religious
body felt it had the exclusive right to give
missionary instruction. As the American
missionaries furnished the true solution of
the eastern question, go the missionaries of
this board wrought h resolution of the Indi-
an question. This country applied the Cos
pei faithfully, and the gospel solved it. If
the Indian can't be saved, We are all lost.
Now is the time to press forward, because if
we do not lift the Indian up with citizen
ship, he will be dragged down into barbar-
ism. DR.. Ward supplemented the report
with an address giving the Importance Of
the work among the Indians, in . just and
hum ane manne Their treatment is the
loadstone of national honor. Greater work
can be done than in Turkey. DR.. Riggs,
for forty years an Indian missionary, and
Rev. N. II. Whittlesey, Secretary Of the In:
dian commission at Washington. said the
broken faith of the government is at the
bottom Of the Indian troubles. Cart loads
of treaties are filed away, broken by the
party of the first part and not the Indians.
There will be no more trouble when they
are treated in good faith. The blame rests
on the law makers, who should make laws
forcing fair dealing. Hon. S. B. Farwell
said only honesty and good faith can settle
the question, and if it is not separated from
politics the question is hopeless. Rev. Stan
&c Nfs,roorali, eos1 o-o s>1,tso, rs s1,o
question was to establish complete civil
authority in Indian territories. There is
no instance where a white mar punished a
crime Against an Indian. Steadiness Of pur-
pose is needed. The question cannot be
taken from politics. The rights of all must
be taken into politics. The best way is
to make the Indians citizens as fast as pos.
sible. Applause. After further discus
sion the report was recommitted. The fol-
lowing memorial was read from Dakota
mission: