Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-11-27

annual E.epoTt o. CuR,nais<3oncr
EEayt.


TIE report, which from It's novelty. VIII. Da.-
haps. attract greater attention than o:ner n15e.
worthy points, Is the proposition u establish
AN AUXILIARY FORCE OF INDIAN CAVALRY.
''TLe scattering Of seVenty-four Indian a gen
cieS over q wide extent of territory has annlr-
emily neceSSitated the establishment OF a great
CT humber Of detached military posts. 'Fle dt-
Nlding OF the army ntO so many small detinl-
entS tends 10 deprive ii OF the L 'e1Eth needed
FOR tie suppression Of sudden nuthcelf. F0-
the past year Ii has been almost imD9SS be [ :
obtain even an escort Of cavalry CT infantry. III
asnuch as The number CT men at each military
pest has been sufficient only TO furnish ii a re-
Srectabe garrison. The history OF the paSl
three years has proven conciuSively that this
attenuation or the army renders il Impossible 10
administer even homeopathic dose OF coercion
until after lapse or considerable time. Tais
weakness enlb0l0enS the SavaCeS. SO that a mere
handful like the s. warriors. with their 2l0 wo-
men and children, under Dull knife. can cut
through military department and spread ter
ror and slaughter for a month with impunity.
The consolidation OF Indian tribes upon fewer
reservations as recommended elsewhere. would
more effective. There is. however. anoahP,
remedy for the evil indicated, wnicn, in mv
Judgment can oe aud should be adopted to save
the loss OF life and property consequent on IN
dian outbreaks, and the great expense now en-
tsu.tG on tie government Dy Indian wars. Al
auxiliary force OF Indian cavalry should be or
gained. enlisted from the young men OF the
most WariIke tribes. and placed under the com
MaEd CT army officers OF experience. Such
10ICe should be he'd ready for effective service
Il moments warning. The mere fact OF its
existence would serve TO check the tendency ID
outbreaks. and by enliStiGg the Young and war
Ike from the various tribes the element OF
STRIFE that is now Glazing for the excitement Of
tEe Wal pain would ind legitimate occupation
that would tend to repre5S the natural d;SDO5i-
ten for indiscIiminate war and b!0odshed
Another copSidefatiOn Which calls for the or
GanZatlon Cf such force is the fact that our
Indians are among the best. perhaps are the
very best. h0fsemen In tie world: and it is no
QlSpdlaGelnent 10 White soldiers, whose bravery
Is deseryedly held in high esteem. 10 admit 'lar
Indians are their SuCCrIOr5 in following the
trail OF foe. They viii not stand 10 in the
open field and fight like our white soldiers but
mounted and set upon tran they will follow it
Win persistent speed that 10 white man can
equal.
such an auxiliary force-not exceeding 5000
men-could be so placed as 10 be brought rap
ldiy into action i'll case Of any threatened out
break. 1t should be held in large bodies to be
effective and not be divided ptndniteSsinlaliy.
as would be the case with simple army scouts.
Il would put an effective stop 10 raids running
& course OF from I00 to 1900 miles. OF its feaSi-
Dilty there need be no question, for there can be
no truer friend or braVer man than the Ameri-
can indian OF the better type, and his loyalty 10
tEe government, when once enlisted in its ser
vice. is beyond any reasonable doubt. Ii the
English government can trust the SepoyS OF In
Ola. We can place fun confidence in our Indian
allies.
/ would urge the speedy organization and
equipment OF this auxiliary force TO which the
objections raised by many to the increase OF the
army would not apply. because it could De used
cnly TO suppress, preTent, or shorten the dura-
tion OF any Indian disturbances. Added TO the
amy it would entail very little expense and de-
tract nothing from the productive resources of
TIE country. Moreover, the utilizing OF pOr-
tion Cf our population which we are now obliged
TO feed, and often TO fight. would be an act OF
public economy. Under proper officers this
corps might even become valuable training
school, in which, when not in active service
tie education OF those enlisted could be greatly
advanced. In the light OF past experience this
would seem to be the only weapon with which
10 terminate this perpetual warfare without
largely increasing the army. and thereby draw
ing from the effective industry OF the country
Ii should be distinctly understood that the
Indian auXiliarieS would be entirely under con-
troll OF the War department. and that such an
organization should not subtract one man from
the number OF enlisted men in the army as at
present provided by law. In view OF the neceS-
sity OF protecting white men from hostile In
dianS the army is insufficient in numbers An
addition OF 1900 Indian auXiliarieS would give
it only the support it greatly needs, and enable
1t to cope successfully with the enemies OF our
peace
THE CONSOLIDATION OF AGENCIES
to which reference IS made above, proposed in
a limited form at the last Congress, constitutes
the heading Of another important branch OF the
report. The objects sought to be obtained are
as follows: First, the reduction of the number
CT agencies and consequently large annual re-
ductlon OF the expenses attending the cviliZa-
u0n OF the Indians and the management OF their
affairs Second The consolidation of the Indians
upon reservations where they may be best pro-
tected in their personal and property rights
Third, the sale Of tie lands vacated by the con-
Sondatlon. and the use OF a portion Of the
1uGdS arising therefrOm in the removal OF the
Indians from the present reservations and their
settlement on the consolidated agencies. the
balance Of the money to be funded for their use.
the interest thereon to be expended In lieu of
direct appropriations. The Indians embraced
III the bill now occupy Sc reservations contain
ing 81 ,922,507 acres OF land under charge Of 30
agents. Upon the proposed reduction they will
occupy 2 reservations containing l;2S9,os2 acres
under The charge OF agents. There will be
restored to the Ilblc domain 1862, ,455 acres OF
land and, making all allowances, an annual saw
ing OF S120,oGo will be effected. The Commits
than that already proposed. Into the vast area
OF unoccupied land in the Indian Territory the
lnajCr portion OF the Indians of New Mexico.
be Klamath Indians Of Oregon can with
advantage lie removed 10 the Yasama res
eIVati0n in Washington territory. to which the
EaEnCcEs and Malneur Indians have been re-
ccitiY removed. This policy should also be
pursued with the Indians CT western Dakota
Montana, Idaho, and ether sections. In the
commissioners opinion permanent homes, suf--
ticient aid to build houses. cultivate the soil and
SuhSfst them Until they have harvested their
first crops will render them in a few years self
SUI porting, like tEe SiSSet0n Sioux, the Chippe-
was OF White Earth, the SanteeS and the Oma-
has. The expenses attending the proposed
removal and consolidation will be more than
net from the sale OF lands vacated. The timber
ard arabic lands and those increased in value
by surrounding settlements Will sell for an
amount far In excess OF that fixed by law BY
this plan the cost OF the Indian service will be
reduced to the lowest possible limit consistent
with the interests OF the Indians, the dangers
arising from encroachments by the whites Will
be placed at minimum and the a agencies
now existing, will be reduced, with material
DeEeht to all concerned, to a very small num-
Der. A bill giving wider scope and more perlna-
nent direction to the scheme viii be drawn up
for presentation in the next Congress.
PERMANENT LAND TITLES FOR INDIANS
1De question OF greatest import to the present
and future welfare Of the Indians is that of the
1tle TO their lands Their constant removal
1fom place to place in spite OF solemn guaran-
tees to the contrary has impressed upoa them
the belief that their title to lands assigned
receive patents they decline in the man to
make improvements On the tracts allotted
them. The evil does not end with the issue of
patents. The Indians are then defrauded of
tnelr property by unScrupulOuS white men Ia
every way that human ingenuity can devise.
There are two kinds of Indian title to land of
which the older and more common is that by
occupancy. Certain tracts Of lands thus ac-
qulred have been ratified to them by treaty
forever. But gradually the encroachments by
whites have compelled the Indians to seek for
seized by settlers and they have been ousted
from possession. Most If not all Of our Indian
wars have arisen either from the bad faith of
The government in the observance of treaties
with regard to Indian land or from the
seizure of the same by its citizens in violation of
express treaty st1pulationS granting the reSer-
oadIGh d 10 Ihe indians In perpetuity. The sec