The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-01-02


property tax, are legal voters. At
all elections for school officers, women
who pay property tax are legal
voters, and are eligible to any Office
under the school system of the Ter
'ritory.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
Within the past two years public
opinion in this Territory has radically
changed on the Indian question.
There is now very strong feeling
against the reservation system. This,
to great extent, has been created
by the Indian outbreak in Idaho
last year and in Oregon during the
present year. There is also feel
ing Of insecurity in the minds of set
tiers, especially in Eastern Washing
ton. They are surrounded by discon-
tented Indians, who may any time
and with little warning commence
hostilities. Many of these Indians
were in full sympathy with the hos
tiles Of Oregon during the recent
outbreak in that State, and some of
them actually joined the Bannacks.
The opinion very generally prevails
that, had the hostiles been able to
cross to the north side of the Column
bia River, they would have been
joined by at least five hundred In
dams in Eastern Washington. The
presence of gunboats on the Colum-
bia River probably prevented the
hostiles from crossing.
At a recent conference between
General Howard and a part of these
Indians, they were promised new
reservation in this Territory, on both
sides of the Columbia river. The
citizens Of this Territory are almost
unanimously opposed to this. They
regard the reservation policy not only
failure but a constant menace to
them. While the Indians remain
upon the reservations their tribal re-
lations are kept up; they talk over
their grievances, real or imaginary;
they send emissaries to other reserva-
tions to excite feelings Of hostility to
the whites, and the result for several
years has been an annual Indian war;
in which innocent men. women, and
children have been massacred, and
the government put to millions of
dollars of expense.
The remedy that is desired is, to
abolish all Indian reservations, break
up tribal relations, hold all Indians
responsible under the laws for their
acts, permit them to avail themselves
of homestead and presumption rights,
and, in short, treat them as citizens
of the United States, which this pol
icy would clearl y make them under
the first section of the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States. This policy was unan-
imously recommended by both the
Republican and Democratic Terrific
rial conventions which assembled in
this Territory the present year. 1t
is possible that this policy might be
feasible in other Territories. Refer
ence is onl Y made to this Territory.
where it might be tried as an exper-
iment at least. In the event that it
is not deemed advisable to pursue
this policy, then the transfer Of all
the Indians in Eastern Washington
to the Colville Agency and those of
Western Washington to the Neah
Bay Agency would be far more salts
factory to our people than the present
system, provided that an adequate
military force were stationed at each
reservation to keep the Indians under
subsection. These reservations could
be easily enlarged so as to afford am
pie facilities for hunting, fishing, graz
ing, and agricultural pursuits; they
are isolated, one being in the north
eastern and the other in the extreme
northwestern part of the Territory,
and from their peculiar geographical
position years must elapse before
they will be encroached upon by set
tiers.
The interests of the Indians in the
other reservations could be appraised
by the government; the amount thus
! found due could be invested in United
States per cent. bonds, the interest
1 from which could be paid to the In
dams on the two reservations, for the
support of schools or other beneficial