The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-01-24
zeeply to 'DT. B0svve1I's Letter.

Asel1J 10 EDT. HbGSVe11S EACdECr.
EDITOR GAZETTE AS your paper is open
to the free discussion of all questions of pub
lie interest, 1 therefore ask space in its col
umns to reply to a communication written
by John Boswell, NJ. D. and published in
the GAZETTE of the 10th inst, eulogizing the
management of Siletz Indian Reservation
Some twelve years ago the DR.. wrote still
greater accounts of the progress of the In
dams under Hon. Ben. Simpson. Said the
reservation produced an abundance for all
the Indians to live on and good deal to sell.
Those who are acquainted with the DR.. will
make due allowance for his exaggerated let
ters, and also note that it makes but little
difference which side he is on.
The Indians, with few exceptions, are
not Industrious and thrifty, as he says, but
are lazy and shiftless lying around in the
sun, eating up the substance of those that
do work, while thousands of splendid, rich
land lie idle, producing nothing but weeds
and grass, and no stock even to Craze upon
it. This land and fine timber along the
Siletz river, ought to be utilized by white
people, if the Indians won't use it-as this
would add hundreds of dollars to the wealth
of the State. Locate these Indians that
want land forty acres to each Indians fam
ily) and open up the balance to white set
clement. This would make room for a good
many white families that want homes and
the Indians would be IN lch better off than
under the present system, while the Govern
ment would be relieved of heavy and un-
necessary expense.
A person might, by counting all the board
and brush shanties on the reservation, make
hundred and twenty; but when We talk
of good houses, with wood houses attached,
furnished with stoves, bedsteads and led
ding, they are few and far between. After
making all due allowance for the Indian,
and giving him full credit for the progress
he has made, don't know of white family
in Benton county but that is far ahead ol
the best Indian family on the reservation in
the art of housekeeping and cleanliness.
The comparison is invidious and a SANDER
upon the white citizens Of the county.
The Indians are much the same as they
were years ago. They believe in the tradi-
tions and superstitions of their fathers as
much as they ever did. The only difference
is, many of them have a better way of hid
ing their superstitions. They decorate the
graves of their dead the same as they did
twenty years ago. And when one of thei,
number dies. they put in his grave such
things as will be useful to help him on tc
the happy hunting ground" where all good
ingins 60.
The Indians have three or four large un
derground dance houses (the Indians cal
them church houses) where they meet dress
ed up with skins, feathers, beads, etc, and
90 through with all kinds of contortions
gyratious, and incantations like wild savages
This they call worshiping the Great Spirit,
and who knows but their mode of worship
is Just as sincere as the white mans Al
least four-iifths of all the Indians OH the
An Indian, as rule, only works whel
he is driven to it by necessity or compelled
by those having charge of him. And tn,
ktruest friend the Indian has is the person
that will make him do the most to hell
himself. The plan of indulging them il
their idleness, only makes them greater bur
dens to the Government and vagabonds il
the community.
So far as the school is concerned, if thu
tree is to be judged by its fruits this tree il
almost entirely barren of any substantial
good. Thousands of dollars have beer
spent in trying to educate the Siletz Indiani
and perhaps not more than half asdozen car
read and write little, and they don't un
amount to much when a couple of children
can teach it who have not sufficient age and
experience to teach common district school.
The Indians go to school to get their lunch
and when that fails but few will be found IL
the school house Instead of putting up
large boarding house costing $o,ooo OF Rio''
600. would it not be more sensible to Duy
few teams, wagons and farming Implements
and put the Indians to work anu MAKE 'he
reservation rise ON true merit rather than &c
have r. braced and bolstered up by exagger
ated communications written by a PAID EN-
ploye?
In regard to the church work, the Indians
will hear no comparison whatever to the re
ligious professions of white people. Th'
writer must have judged others by hlmsei
in the matter. After having ono continua
round of church services for seven or elgh
wears, three times week and all day Sun
day, the Indians learn by rote good dea
that is said, and as they are great imltator
they can repeat it in good style, making
frequently good impressions and often sue
coed in pulling the wool over some people
ewes. when the most of them do it for sho'
and to be favored sz5x
j As to the general prosperity q the rese'