New-York tribune., 1879-01-20

From this statement il appears that more than
onc-half of the Indians have discarded the blanket
and donned civilized garb; that about Onc-hali
have moved Oui of their lodges and wigWanS into
houses, the number If which has increased nearly
thrcclOId in ten years; that the number of pupils
IN Indian schools has more than doubled: that
nearly one-sixth of the Indian population can read:
that the number of Of land cultivated by the
Indians - about five times as great as ten years
400; that the production of wheat has increased
nearly hvefold of corn scycngOid. of oats and bar
lev nearly iourold, and of hay nearly ninrt0d
and thatth IndiIns own about thrcctiGcs a5 many
horses and mules. six times many a. cattle, seven
times as many swine and abOut scycnty-ivc times
as many sheep they did ten ten years ago. They
now own more than two head If sheep for every In
dian man, woman and child in the United states.
Tie board remarks: " Tnis exhibit Of results l.
certainly ging, aud ii presents a strong AZ
gumcnt against any radical change of policy
However that may be, it Il certain that at such
rate of progress if continued, the feathcred and
banketei savage who now fills the public mind
whenever the Indian is mentioned, must soon dis
| appear ard tne tat contracts for beef and lC1r
cease 10 exist. except ~ the SAD memories OF lucky
contractors. The board says:
Many Indians. believing that we would keep faith
with them have selected their tracts OF iand ana made
uUprov mcnts. hut nave waited nearly quarter OF u
century in vain for the promised security of tue. We
cannot the millions of lost nor restore
mo Ii.- ~ Gallant soldiers sacrificed our broken
faith, but may deal honestly and justly in the future.
! The board calls attention to the favorable effect
OF granting patents, according to treaty stlpula-
tions to individual Indians in Wisconsin, "where a
| new impulse has been given 10 industry, and new
,rnSc of manhood INSPIRED y; AMI the report points
tu the succeSS OF the homestead colony O Flandreau
! >lOuX in Dakota. aS proof of the wisdom 0f the
plan urged. THIS measure has been urged BY the
! board before committees OF both Houses Of .Con-
grrSs and il understood that ii Is receiving the
| consideration of Il Senate committee now.
At u conference Oi the iOaid and the representa-
| tiycs of the religious bodies u memorial 10 ,nc
| President and Congress was adopted, Ia be pre-
! Sentcd by committee consisting of the Key. DIS.
| and Tatum. 1t will recommend and urge three
measures:
| |. That c0urtS of law he established on Indian
reservations, with jurisdiction III all cases where
| both partlcs are Indians There Is Lo tribunal to
try such cases. except in some Tribes a rude form
! of administering justice. 1t may be remembered
| that although the asSasslns OF HOlen-the-Day "A
! famous Sioux chief who was friendly to the whites
| and restrained his people from taking part in the
! Minnesota massacre of 1868, were we'll known, they
were never brought 10 justice, the Comm, of
Indian Affairs declining 10 interfere III case where
| only Indians were concerned.
| H. That common schools be provided for Indians
| the same as for white children under some regular
| system.
| Iii. That the homestead law be modified that
| an Indian may select his homestead within the linn
| its of the reservation to which he belongs.
| Ihc last of these measures seems pracicaOlc ana
| II is possible THAI the wisdom Of the COmnIttce ap-
pointed to urge them upon Congress may be able TO
devise means 10 overcome difficulties respecting the
| others which make them appear somewhat chlmcrl-
! cal to people OF less enlightened minds.