The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-03

fairs. present an elaborate account Of the pres.
ont condition Of tho Indian tribes. and Of that |
branch OF the publ service which ministers to |
their interests. While tho conduct Of the In |
dians generally has been orderly, and their re- |
lations with their neighbors friendly and peace
inl tive Local distuT6ances have occurred; when
mained. happily. confined to n comparatively |
small number OF Indians, The discomfort |
acts Of violence on the part OF some members OF |
the tribe and finally TO the outbreak. appears
TO have been caused by an insunlciency OF |
food on the reservation. and this insuffl- |
cheney to have been owing 20 The inadeauacy OF
ne wants. o Be In3Sns az we my wReR tbe
wore prevented from supplying the deficiency
by hunting. After az arduous pursuit by tho
troops Of tho United States and several engage
nonts. the hostile Indians were reduced to sub.
iectlon. and the larger part Of thom surrendered
desire TO cali attention to the recommendation
made by the Secretary OF tho lnteriori that q
Executive to be used. with proper accountabil-
ity, ct discretion In sudden emergencies Of the
Tho other case Of disturbance was that Of
band OF Northern Chcyennes who suddenly left
their reservation in tho Indian Territory and
and Nebraska In the direction of their old hunt
ing grounds. committing murders and other
pnnyisS the report Of tho Secretary Of the inte-
rlor. II appears that this disc rderly band was rs
fully supplied with the necessaries OF llte as tho
who remained quietly on the reeervation. and
that the disturbance was caused 10y men oi a
restless and mischievous disposition among tho
Indians themselves. Almost the whole OF this
band have surrendered TO tho military authori-
ot them emu had taken refuge in the cam camp ofths ReG
Cloud Sioux. with whom they had been In
friendly relations the sioux held them as pris-
oners and readily gave them up TO the officers
Of the United Stltes. thus giving new proof ot
the loyal spirit which, alarming rumors to tho
contrary Notwithstanding they have uniformly
shown ever since the Wishes they expressed Mt
the council OF September. 1877. had been COM
Both the Secretary Of the Interior and the
| Secretary of War unite In the recommendation
| that provision he made by Congress for the
auxiiiarics." to be under the control OF the
army. and to be used for the purpose Of Keeping
| the Indians on thcir reservations and prevent
| ing or represeing disturbance on their part.
| earncstly concur In this recommendation. IL Is
believed that tho organ anizstion Of such body OF
| Indian cavalry. receivinga moderate pny from
| the Government. would considerably weaken
the, restless element among the, Indians by
| Withdrawing from II a number OF young men
| and giving them cOnRenial employment under
| the Government. II being matter OF experience
that Indians in our service. almost without OK
| ception. are faithful In the performance OF tho
| duties assigned to them Such an organization
plishment Of n task for which its numerical
| strength is sometimes found insufficient.
But. while tho employmepi 9i force i9r ne
| Of occasional necessity and wise preparation
should be made to that end. greater reliance
agencies for tho ultimate solution OF whNi IS
| called the Indian problem. II may be very dii-
the unruy spirit oi the savage Iniian TO the
restraints Of civilized life. but experience shows
that 1t Is not impossible. Many OF the tribes
| porting were once savage ns any that at
present roam over the plains or in the noun;
| tnins OF the far West. and were then considered
| inaccessible 10 cvizng influences. II may be
impossible to raise thcm fully up to the level Of
but we should not forget that they arc
the abcrigines OF tho country. and called
ihe soil their their SIsS own 1 On when ,G our pT0-
We owe II to them M n moral duty 10 help
them in attaining at least that degree OF
civilization which they may h. ablo 10 reach.
to do 50. Indians who have become agricul-
property. will thcnceforth cease to bc n whrlike
and disturbing clement i is also q well,
peaceable and quiet when their children are
at school. and am gratiiled to know. from the
expressions ~ Indians themselves aud from
many concurring reports thnt there " n
steadily increasing desirc. even among Indians
belonging TO comparatively wild tribes. To- have
tho reports Of the Secretary Of the Interior and
the Commissioners OF indian Affairs. touch ing
the experiment recently inauguratcd. Ia taking
hfy Indian children. boys and girls. from dil
frrent tribes. to the Hampton Normal Agricul-
ural institute in Virginia. whore they are "a
receive an elementary English education and
| trimming in agriculture ana other usolul work
Ia he returned 10 their trlbeSj aiter lhe com,
pletod course. rs Interpreters. instructors. and
examples. II Is reported that the officer charged
with the selection of those children might have
| had thousands of young Indians sent with hin
had IL bccn possibln 10 make provision for them
| Rgreo with the Se"reiary ~ the Interior In
saying that the result 4 this interesting eN,
pertinent II favorable, may be destined to be
come an important iactor in the advancement o
civilization among the Indians"
| The question whether "a change In the contrO
Of the Indian service should be made. WAS al
tho last session of Congress referred 20 com
| string TO anti cipAte that report. venture to eX
press tho hope that in the decision OF so i'm
portant n question the views expressed above
may not he lost sight of. and that the decision
whatsoever II may he, viii arrest further agitation
duco a disturbing effect upon the service, ~
well rs on tho Indians themselves.
THE HOT SPRINGS
In tho enrolment Of the bill making appro
prialions for sundry civil expenses at the as
session of Congress- that portion which pro
vided for the continuation Of tho Hot SPRING
Commission was ommitted. "a the Commits
sion had completed the work Of taking testi
mony on the many conflicting claims the sus
pension oi their Abors. before determining th'
rights OF claimants. threatened for a time. t.
embarrass the interests. not only Of the GOV
ernment. hut also OF a large number OF th'
citizens Of Hot Springs who were waiting 10
contem plated improvements In order TO pre-
. vent serious difficulties, which were apprehond
eel. and At the solicitation Of many LEADING
citizens OF Hot Springs and others Interested II
the welfare Of the town. the Secretary of th'
I Commissioners 90 take charge Of the records %
1 their proceedings and to perform such work az
70 could properly be done 10y thcm under sucl
circumstances. to facilitate the future Adjudica
, | tion Of the claims Mt an early day and To pre-
serve tho status OF the claimants until thei
= rights should be- finally dcermined. The lat'
Commissioners complied with that request an,
report that the testimony in all the chhcs. hai
| been written out examined hriefcd, and ~
. arranged rs 10 facilitate mn early settlrmcn
| when authorized by law. II Is recommends
that the requisite authority be given Mt as earl
a day In the session as possible. and that fai
compen nsation be- allowed the late Commission
ers for the expense incurred and tho labor per
formed 10y them since the 25th Of June last.
PUBLIC LANDS AND AGRICULTURE
. invite the attention of Congress to th
recommendations made by the Secretary Of tn
| Interior with regard to the preservation Of tn,
timber on the public lands OF the United Statcs
4 | The protection of the public property IS one q
/, | the first duties of the Government The De
! partment of the Interior should, therefore. b.
/ | enabled by sufficient appropriations to enforce
= | tho laws in that respect. But this matter np
| pears still more important as Il question Of pub
> iio economy. The rapid destruction OF on
/ forests is an OWL fraught with the gravest con
. | sequences. especially in the mounta nous dis
. | tricts where the rocky slopes once denuded o
4 | their trees. will remain so forever. There III
/ | injury. once done cannot be repaired, ful
a concur with the Secretary OF the Interior in tn
y | opinion that for this reason. legislation touch
t AN,.0..