Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-08-03
tue Imdsau Que.sioD.

Indian question:" discusses the
subject Of Indian control and i'm
provement. The care of the In
dian is no longer a problem for
philanthropists; the territory now
occupied by him must and will be
occupied by white men, and the
red man must yield to necessity
he must cease to roam. The United
States must abridge his territory,
localize, control and improve him.
Our treaty system, the tribal struc.
lures, reservations and trade b ave
destroyed individual responsibility
and increased corruption. 1t has
been and is impossible to live up
TO our treaty stipulations. We
cannot keep the white race and
the red man separated. We mu st
Invent some new system of con-
troll, and we must do it quickly.
The progress of civilization cannot
longer be retarded. The Indian
himself cannot exist much longer
~ . hunter of game, for game is
becoming scarce. The necessities
Of ell parties require that the In
dians shall be permanently locat.
ed, either as individuals or tribes,
and that they shall be compelled
to conform to the laws of the land.
They must be compelled to work;
hereafter their food must be OBJ
tanned through agriculture. These
things must and will be done, and
mere sentiment is out of the ques-
tion. How shall we localize, con-
troll and i'm prove the Indians? We
cannot adopt system dependent
for its success upon the inclina-
tion of the Indian. Whatever sys-
tenn We adopt will be found
to be expensive AMI trou-
blesome. Force must be
used. Heretofore we have used
force only in self-defense; now we
must use it for control and inn
proyement. We must force them
into proper localities and keep
them there by force. The Indian
will learn nothing until he knows
that he must learn or starve. Let
them know that they will be driv-
eu back to their localities, when
ever they wander abroad, and they
will take some interest in their
homes. Let them pay the penalty
of lawlessness in blood. They
must be taught the great funda-
mental law of civilization, obed-
fence and self-restraint. They will
acquire these virtues through
present controlling power. Grim
inal laws must be extended over
them, so that they may acquire
sense of individual responsibility.
Just laws must be executed with
unflinching fidelity. We need not
improve at once our whole GRIM
inal code. TO accomplish this pur-
pose we must abandon the old fic-
tion about Indian treaties. The
sentimentalists must cease to pratt
tie Of tribes and treaties. The ma
tion's faith is not really pledged to
= system which canuet be carried
out. Manifest necessity repeals all
treaties and places the Indians un-
der the absolute control of the Gov
ernmsnt without their consent.
We cannot abolish the cid condi-
lions by bargains; it would cost
too much. The Government holds
he ultimate fee in all lands, and
~ the right TO exercise the right
6f eminent domain. In fact, the
tribes with which we made treat
les no longer exist-their sover.
eighty is gone, and treaties have
gone with it. They are in theory
and fact responsible TO law. The
Indians will, NO doubt, resist all
restrictions, but they must be forced
to submit. Compulsory education
and industry must be exacted.
Definite portions of land must be
assigned to families and individu-
ais. The amount of actual gifts
must be determined by absolute
necessity. The success of those rad
ical m sasures will demand vigor,
nbility and Integrity Of admins
tration. The only question left for
discussion is: How shall the Indian
be converted into q law-abiding,
self-supporting member or society?
It may not be expedient to apply
this system to all the tribes at
once; it will be sufficient to begin
with the hostile tribes. The
scheme will for q while be more
expensive than the agency system,
but 1t will be economical In the
end.
It will not be safe to gather the
Indians upon one or two large res
ervations-thsy must be scattered.
And it will be well il they can be
placed near settled white popula-
tIon and in sm Ill bands. Trial by
Jury should be established among
them, aud all the political usages
OF our people should be enforced as
rapidly as possible. Territorial and
State Courts should take cogni.
zance of crimes. The amount of
land to be given to each family
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