The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-12-03

the alarming rumors to the contrary,
which they have uniformly shown ever
since the wishes they expressed
at the council of September, 1877, have
been complied with. Both the Secretary of
the Interior and the Secretary of War unite
in the recommendation that provision be
made by Congress for the organization of
a corps of mounted Indian auxiliaries, to
be under. the control OF the army and to be
used for the purpose of keeping the Indians
on their reservations and preventing or re-
pressing disturbance on their part. | earn
estlv concur in this recommendation. 1t
is believed that the organization of such
body of Indian cavalry, receiving mode
rate pay from the government, would con-
siderably weaken the restless element
among the Indians by Withdrawing from it
anumber of the young men and giving them
congenial employment under the govern
ment, it being a matter of experience that
Indians in our service, almost without ex-
ception, are faithful in the performance of
duties asst gned them. Such an organization
would materially aid the army in the ac
complishment of the task for which its
numerical strength is sometimes found in
sufficient But while the employment of
force for the prevention or repression of In
dian troubles is of occasional necessity,
and wisel preparation should be made to
that end, Igreater reliance must be placed
on humane and civiliZing agencies for the
ultimate consummation OF what is called
the Indian problem. 1t may be very diff
cult and require much patient effort to curb
the unruly spirit of the savage Indian to
the restraints of civilized life but expert
ence shows that it is not impossible. Many
of the tribes which are now quiet and or
derby and selfsupporting, were once as saw
age as any that at present roam over the
Iaplains or in the mountains of the far west,
and were then considered inaccessible to
civlllzing influences. Itmay be impossible
to raise them fully up to the level of the
white population of the United States, but
we should not forget that they are the
aborigines of the country and called the
soil their own on which our people have
grown rich, powerful and happy. We owe
| It to them as moral duty to help them in
attaining at least that degree of civiliza-
ten which they may be able to reach. 1t
| is not only our duty, 1t is also our interest,
to do so. The Indians who have become
agriculturists or herdsmen, and feel an in
| terest in property, will thenceforth cease to
be warlike and disturbing element. 1t is
also a well authenticated fact that the In
dams are apt to be peaceable and quiet
when their children are at school, and / am
gratified to know from the expressions of
Iconcurring reports, that there is a
steadily increasing desire even among
| the Indians belonging to the comparatively
wild tribes to have their children educated.
L invite attention to the reports of the Sec
rotary of the Interior and the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs touching the experiment
| recently inaugurated in taking fifty Indian
children, boys and girls, from different
tribes to the Hampton Normal A gricultural
Institute, in Virginia, where they are to re-
ceive an elementary English education and
training in agriculture and other useful
work, and to be returned to their tribes
after the completed course as Interpreters,
instructors and exemplars. It is reported
that the officer charged with the selection
of these children might have had thousands
of young Indians sent with him had it
| been possible to make provision for them.
agree with the Secretary of the
| Interior In saying that the result Of this IN
lterestng experiment, if favorable, may be
destined to become an important factor in
the advancement of civilization among the
| Indians. The question whether change
in the control of the Indian service should
be made was at the last session of Congress
referred to committee for inquiry and
to report. Without desiring to anticipate
that report, l venture to express the hope
1
ton the views expressed above may not be
lost sight of, and that the decision, whatever
it may be, viii arrest further agitation, be-
ing apt to produce disturbing effect upon
| the service as well as on the Indians them.
selves.
THE HOT SPRINGS COMMISSION.
In the enrolment of the bill making ap.
preparations for sundry civil expenses al
the last session Of Congress, that portion
which provided for the continuation of the
Hot Springs Commission was omitted. AS
the commission had completed the work OF
taking testimony on the many conflictin Q
claims, the suspension of their labors
before determining the rights of claimants
threatened for tlme to embarrass the IN.
terests not only of the government, bul
also of q large number of the citizens Of
Hot Springs, who were waiting for final
action on their claims before beginning
contemplated improvements. In order
to prevent the serious difficulties which
were apprehended, and at the so
licitation Of many of the leading citizens
of Hot Springs, and others interested il
the welfare of the town. the Secretary O.
, the Interior was authorized to request thu
late Commissioners to take charge of thu
records of their proceedings, and to trans
act such work as could be properly dom
by them under such circumstances, to facil
, itate the future adjudication of the claims
at an early day, and to preserve the status
: of the claimants until their rights shoul(
finally be determined The late com
missioners complied with that request anC
report that the testimony in all the case
has been written out, examined, briefed ant
arranged so as to facilitate an early settle
. ment, when authorized by law It is rec
: commended that the requisite authority b
| given at as early day in the session a
/ possible, and that a fair compensation b
. | allowed the late commissioners for the eS
J. pense incurred and the labor performed b
them since the 25th of June last
PUBLIC TIMBER LANDS
f l invite the attention of Congress to til
f recommendations made by the Secretary {
: the Interior with regard to the preserv,
q ton of the timber on the public lands {
= the United States. The protection of th
j. public property is one of the first duties
Y the government. The Department of th
i Interior should therefore be enabled by su
o ficient appropriations TO enforce the Law
h in that respect. But this matter appear
e still more important as question of pul
v lie economy. The rapid destruction of OF
Il forests is an evil fraught with the grave
o consequences, especially in the mountain
e GUS districts, where the rocky slopes ont
v denuded of their trees will remain so 70
d ever. There the injury once done cam,
A. | be repaired. / fully concur with the Sc
n rotary of the Interior in the opinion III
a. for this reason legislation touching Il
le public timber in the mountainous Stat
q and Territories of the West should be c
" pecially well considered, and that the e
le listing laws, in which the destruction of Il
a. forests is not sufficiently guarded agains