Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1879-01-17
The Indian Transfer.

If the voice Of the Western press
and the Western people who alone have
to encounter the Indians is heard and
considered as it is entitled to, according
to all rules Of evidence, the Indian bu-
rean will be transferred to the War De.
partment at the present session Of Con-
gress. We know not one journal on
the whole Pacific coast that is not now
outspoken in favor of this transfer.
Two years ago there were many who
doubted the policy and we're disposed to
bolster up and patch up the old peace
policy OF the Indian bureau. Among
these was the Oregonian, who sided
with that policy even after the secession
and war Of Joseph and tbs renegade
Nez Perces; but the eyents of last year
bringing hostilities home to the people
Of Oregon has forced a public senti-
ment all through Oregon against the
wisdom and practicability and safety of
the policy, and the Oregonian has read
that sentiment in uumistakable terms,
aud as reflector of public sentiment
has greatly modified its former adher.
ence to the old fossil Indian policy. and
10 an article published the Sd of JAM
uary it out Herods Herod 10 its advo.
cacy of treating tho Indian as they
used to do in the early days of Massa>
chusetts, Connecticut and other Allan.
tic States, when the policy was that the
weaker race must give way to the
stronger. We here quote from an edi.
torial Of the Oregonian Of the Sd Jan.
uary as follows:
In the Eastern States the generations
who dealt with the Indian have wholly
passed away. Their descendants have
no experience Of their own, and have
entirely forgotten that of their auces-
tors. They think it great outrage
that We Of the remote West should
press upon the Indian, crowd him to
the wall, and virtually take away his
life by taking away the means whereby
he lives. We leave him no recourse
but to work or starve. But, as matter
OF fact. We are dealing now with the
Indian far more kindly than he was
dealt with on the banks Of the Con-
necticut, the Hudson and the Ohio.
We are not trying to exterminate the
race as did the forefashers of those who
condemn our aggressions while forget.
ting by what title they hold their own
lands There is no better reason why
Oregon should have remained will
derness than Massachusetts,; and the
persecution of the Indian here has
never been attended with thousandth
part of the Injustice and ferocity that
prevailed there. People grow senti-
mental when they see injustice through
telescope, but are proverbially indif.
ferent when it is presented under their
own eyes.
That paper winds up it's article as
follows:
Hard as the doctrine is. the only per.
manent solution seems to be in the vir-
tual extinction Of the race, since il is
apparent from history aud experience
that most Of them will perish in the
transformation. The Indian is a child
of the soil and will not bear transplant
ing. Witness the Modocs and Nex
Perces deported to tho Indian Territory.
They are pining and dwindling away. |
Not on this method, therefore, can the
question be settled for the good Of the
Indian. If removed, be dies, and If |
he romains he Is crushed under tho |
juggerDsut Of vast emigration. Not
all will perish, but the Indian, as an
Indian, will cease TO exist; and proba.
bly, as the people in our Eastern States
now do, our descendants after their dis. |
appearance will speak Of them with pity |
and regret as noble race who were not
allowed chance. The situation is in |
every way similar to that presented |
when the children Of Israel overflowed
upon the surrounding tribes and crushed |
aud ground them to powder, and the
law in this case is as irresistible as then,
even though it has not the distinctly |
spoken sanction or command of divine
authority and power. 1t is the strug-
gle for existence, pervading the whole
realm of nature, in which the stronger
triumphs.
In all the TELLER has ever said
against the Indian or the manner in
which he should be treated, we have
never urged or admitted the doctrine
of the extinction of the race AZ wise or
good policy Of the American nation,
while the above quotation practically
justiies the attempt. We have said
'nd say now that he cannot be trans.
formed from the savage barbarian to