Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-11-05
FACTS FERSES SENTIlNEN.
TILITY.


The notion very generally held in
regard TO ihe Indians is that they arc
the real owners Of this continent, and
that the people who now occupy, pos.
sess aud rule II, are trespassers on the
domain OF the red men. A vast deal
of sentimental bosh has been written
in accordance with this absurd theory,
and, to great extent, II has controlled
our relations and dealings with the
Aborigines. IL is high time TO have
done with such nonsense.
The settlement Of this land by Euro.
peans was MS inevitable result Of its
discovery us heat is product Of com.
bustion, and when that settlement be.
gan, the dccadence OF barbarism was
as sure to bcgin and 20 on before the
progress OF civilization as water is TO
flow along an inclined plane. Civilza
tion demanded the soil for agricultural
uses, and that imperative demand com
PEELED the red men either to change
their mode Of life, by learning to till
the soil and ceasing their dependence
on bunting, or TO gradually fade out OF
existence as the frontier line moved
across the country, leaving at its rear
fields, towns and cities on the sites OF
wigwams and hunting.grounds. When
tho first European immigrants came
here, It was their policy TO make terms
with tho Indians, for they were al their
mercy; but IL was absurd for the Gov.
ernment, after its organization to re-.
cognize Tribes of Indians as distinct ma
tions, and enter into solemn treaties
with them-treaties that were iorcor
daned to be broken by the Govern
ment, because they set apart and dodi
Gated TO rowing tribes and bands Of red
men vast tracts Of country that incvi
tably must be occupied by the whites
in a few years. Wars and complica
tions innumerable have resulted from
preposterous business Of making com
pacts impossible to be maintained, and
we are still going on in the old way, as
if experience had taught us no lesson.
We owe the Indians nothing except
what the rich and powerful owe to the
poor and weak. We are not responsi.
bic for the events that have made this
country the home OF 10000, 900 intelli.
gent and prosperous people, the lead
ing nation Of the globe instead of
wilderness, inhabited only by scattered
tribes of savages They have no claim
to the ownership Of the soil, because
they were not strong enough to hold
1t. 1t was taken from them by the
operation Of natural causes, and not
by any fault that VIC are bound to
atone Tor Harsh as these facts may
seem, they are undeniable, and it is
time to substitute them Tor the sent
mentality that has too long dictated
our Indian policy
The Indians must become q part OF
the American people, must make up
farms, learn TO support themselves,
obey the laws and give up the notion
that anybody else is bound to take
care of and provide for them. Because
they arc Ignorant and poor we should
try TO teach them the arts of civilized
lite, and help them towards self-main.
tenance but they should be made to
feel and know that they can have no
future unless they make it, that they
will not be treated as children, but will
be held as capable Of earning their
substance, and that when they murder
the border settlers they must suffer
death for their crimes. All this can
be done, for it has already boon accom-.
plished with many thousand Indians
who are industries, intelligent and
prosperous.
Our Indian policy is as great a
wrong TO the red men as the whites,
and the interests OF all demand a rad.
ical reformation OF the entire system.
The Indians must learn to work and
obey the laws. IL they will not try to
profit by the instructions given them,
their departure for the happy hunting.
grounds must only be u question OF
time - tV1Shjn0fon P,sf