Arizona citizen., 1878-06-14
Our Indian Policy.

Congressman Bacon of New York. in a speech on Indian affairs delivered in the House May 30, made the follow ing remarks:
 The establishment of the peace com. mission in 1869 was to mv mind the dawning of a new and brighter day, a scheme which contemplated the aban- .donment of the old system which in It's results had proved anything but a success, and the inauguration of new method which it was hoped would, if not bring perfect peace to our borders, at least mitigate some of the horrors of war, and by teaching the arts of peace and introducing more largely in- to the savage life the means, the ap. pliarces, and the institutions of civil ized society, bring about ultimately q state of things that would permit to the Indians either the quiet enjoyment Of their own reservations undisturbed by outside interference, or his incorpo- ration, under suiiab.e terms and cOndi- tions as component and integral part of the body-politic.
 Tine following summary given in the last annual reports of the Board of h. dian Commissioners, give partial re- suits of the nine years experiment:
 Of the 276,0G0 Indians in the United States, (thOse in Alaska net included, ] 112,903 now wear citizens dress. In 1878 they had TAG houses: now 22, ,199 houses are occupied by Indians, of which 1l03 have been built during theI lass year. There are now 33C schools on Indian reservations, with 437 teach. CTS, where in 1868 there were reported III schools and 134 teachers. The number of scholars now attending school is 11,5l5; in 1868 the number was 471S
 During the last year the sum of $337 .319 las been expended for educa- tion. The number of Indians whoI can read is 40,397; and of these 12G6l have learned during the last year. In this number the five civilized tribes of the Indian Ter tory are not included.
 There are POT church buildings onI Indian reservations; about 2S,000 In dians are church members.
 These results have been obtained through the administration of our In-l dian affairs under the authority and contro, of the Departnen. of the Int rIor. and they rebound to its credit
 With no unfriendly feeling toward the army, to maintain which tt itsI highest point of efficiency I have most willingly and promptly voted, l still deprecate its employment upon such al service as this amendment would de volve upon it and it's gallant officers. The effect of such employment upon the Indians themselves is most unfor- tunate. We cannot reason with these uniutored children of the forest; wei cannot overcome their innate prOclivi ties. With them the employment of the army against them means war and military rule is with them the toe sin thst summons to resistance Oni this point it is very significant fact, stated so er1Dhatically by the d;stin- guished gentleman from GeOrgi. whose mOnitory words may well bel needed here, that the chief men of all the delegations that have visited the capital this winter have united in an ! earnest protest against any such trans. 1 fer of the Indian Bureau as this amendment contemplaies. Let us lis ! ten 10 this appeal and be admOnished | by the warning that it conveys to us of the coming trouble and alarm.