The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-12-10
{ presiient's Message Concluded !

Presidents Message Concluded
now quiet and orderly anil self-suppors
ing. we're then considered inaccessible /,
civilizing Influences
itn may be impossible to raise them full
!. up II tue level Of the white population
of tLe United States, bat we should no
forget that they are the ahorigine.
oi the country. and called the soil thei'
own, I'm which our people have grown
rich, powerful and happy We owe it te
them as a moral duty tq. help them in at
tanning at least that degree OF civilization
which they may he able to reach 1t is
not only our duty, it is also our interest,
To do so. Indians, who have become az
ricultnrists or herdsmen. aud feel an in,
tcrest in property, will thencelorth cease
to he a warlike and disturbing element.
II is also well authenticated fact that
Indians are apt to be peaccable and quiet
when their children are at school. and
am gratited to knos, from the express.
ions.oi Indians themselves, and from ma.
nv coucurring reports. that there ia -
steadily increasing desire, even among
Indians belonging to comparatively wild
tribes, To have their children educated.
invite attention 10 the reports of the
Secretary at the Interior and the Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs, touching
the experiment recently inangurated in
taking fifty Indian children, boys and
girls. from different tribes, to the Hamp-
ton Normal Agricultural Institute in Viz
GINA, where they are to receive an elc'
mentary English education and training
in agriculture and other useful work, to
be returned to their tribes, after the com
peted course as interpreters, instructors,
aud examples,
It is reported that the officer charged
with the selection OF those children,
might have had thousands of young In
dams sent with him, had it been possible
to make provision for them. | agree
with the Secretary OF the Interior in say.
ing that the result of this interesting ex.
pertinent, if favorable, may be destined
to become an important factor in the al
vancement of civilization among The In
dams. The question whether change
in the control OF the Indian service should
be made, was, at the last session Of Con
gress, referred to u committee for inqui-
~ and report
Without desiring to anticipate that re-
port, venture to express the hope that
in the decision of so important a ques
ton, the views expressed above may not
be lost sight of, and that the decision,
whatever it may he, will arrest further
agitation Of this subject. such agitation
being apt to produce disturbing effect
upon the service, as well as upon the La
dans themselves.
HOT SPRINGS MATTERS.
In the enrolment OF the bill making
appropriations for sundry civil expenses
at the last session OF Congress that por-
ton which provided for the continuation
Of. the Hot Springs Commission was
ON tied As the committee had COM
pleted the work of taking testimony on
The many conflicting claims, the suspen-
sion OF their labors before determining
the rights of claimants threatened, for a
time, to embarass the interests not only
OF the Government, but also of large
number of the citizens of Hot Springs,
who were waiting for final action on their
claims, before beginning their contem-
ti0tCu IMPROVEMENTS III OluCL W PIC
vent serious difficulties which we're ap.
prehendci and at the solicitation Of ma
ny leading citizens Of Hot Springs. and
others interested in the welfare Of the
town, the Secretary of the Interior was
authorized to request the late commiss
toner's to take charge Of the records Of
their proceedings, and to perform such
work us could properly be done by them,
under such circumstance, to facilitate the
future adjudication Of the claims at an
early day, and to preserve the status Of
the claimants until their rights should be
finally determined. The late commiss-
toner's complied with that request, and
report that the testimony in the case has
been written out, examined, briefed, and
so arranged as to facilitate an early get
Element. when authorized by law.
1t is recommended that the requisite
authority be given al as early day in
the session rs possible, and that fair
compensation be allo we'd the late Com.
missioners for the expense incurred and
the labor performed by them since the
18th of June last.
r r HAYES