The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-12-04

by law to be made in gross The Postmaster
General recommends an amendment to the law
regulating an increase of compensation for in
creased service and increased speed on star
routes, so as to enable him to advertise for
such increased service and speed He also
suggests the advantages to accrue to the COM
merce OF the country from the enactment of a
general law authorizing contracts with
American built steamers carrying the Amer
lean flag for transporting the mail
between the United States and parts of the
West Indies and South America at a fixed
maximum price per mile the amount to be
expended being regulated by annual appropria-
tions in like manner with the amount for the
domestic star service The arrangement made
by the Postmaster General and The Secretary
of the Treasury for the collection of duties on
books received in the mail from foreign coun-
tries has proved SO satisfactory in it's practical
operation that the recommendation is now
made that Congress extend the provisions of
the act of March 3, 1879 under which this
arrangement was made, SO as to apply to all
other dutiable articles received in the mails
from foreign countries.
The Indians.
The reports Of the Secretary of the Interior
and Of the Commissioner Of Indian Affairs
setting forth the present state of our relations
with the Indian tribes on our territory, the
measures taken to advance the civilization and
by them, will be found of more than ordinary
interest. The general conduct of our Indian
population has been so satisfactory that the oc-
currence of two disturbances which resulted
in bloodshed and destruction of property is
all the more to be amented. The history of
the outbreak on the White River Ute Reserva-
ton in Western Colorado has become so
familiar by elaborate reports in the public
press that its remarkable incidents need not be
stated here in detail 1t is expected that the
settlement of this difficulty will lead to such
arrangements as will prevent further hostile
contests between the Indians and the border
settlements in Western Colorado. The other
disturbances occurred at the Mescalero Agency
IN New Mexico, where Victoria, the head of
small band OF marauders, after committing
many atrocities, being vigorously chased by
military force, made his way across the
Mexican border, and is low on a
foreign soil. While these occurrences,
IN which comparatively small number OF
Indians were engaged, are most deplorable,
vast majority of our Indian population have
fully Justltied the expectations of those who
believe that by humane and peaceful infu-
ences the Indian can be led to abandon the
habits of savage life, and to develop capacity
for useful and civilized occupations. What
they have already accomplished is shown in the
pursuit of agricultural and mechanical work.
The remarkable success which has attended
class OF Indians hitherto counted among the
widest and most intractable, and the
general and urgent desire expressed by
them for the education OF their children, may
be taken as sufficient proof that they will be
found capable of accomplishing much more
II they continue to be wisely and fairly guided.
The Indian policy sketched in the report OF the
Secretary Of the Interior, the object of which is
to make liberal provision for the education OF
indian youth, to settle the Indians upon farm
lots in severalty, to give them title in fee to
their farms inalienable for certain number of
years, and when their wants are thus provided
Tor to dispose by sale of the lands on their
reservations not occupied and used by them,
fund to be formed out of the proceeds for
the benefit Of the Indians, which will grad
ually relieve the Government of the expenee s
LOW provided for by annual appropriations,
. ust commend itself as just and heLei ial
to the Indians and as also calculated to
remove those distractions which the ext tence
OF Iarg reservations presents to the etilement
and development of the country I, therefore,
earnestly recommend the enactment of Jaw
enabling the Government to give Indians q title
IN fee llallenable for twenty-five years to the
farm lands assigned to them by allotment
also repeat the recomme ldat1On in nv first
annual me sage thata law bd passed admitting
Indians who can give satisfactory proof of nav
ing, by their own la Jor supported their fam-
lies fora number of years, and who are will
ing to detach them selves from their tribal re-
lalions, to the teoefit of the Homestead act.
and to grant them patents containing the same
provision of nadelability for a Ger ain period.
The experiment of sending a number of In
dian children Of both sexes to the Hampton
Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia.
to receive elementary English education and
practical instruction in farming and other use
full indus tries, has led to results SO pronoisir 9
that it was thought expedient to turn over t. 9
al1sx-h pr -rnys ls1ia
TO the Interior department for the establish
ment of an Indian school on larger scale
This school has now l58 pupils, selected from
various tribes and is in full operation Ar
rangemen are also made for the education OF
d number of Indian boys and girls belon& ing
to tribes on the Pacific slope in similar mali.
nelr, at Forest Grove, in Oregon. These insti-
buttons will commend themselves to the liberal
ity of G ngress and to the philanthropic mu1if-
o. nee Of the American people
Last spring information was received of the
organization Of al extensive movement in the
Western States, the object of which was the oc
cupatlon by unauthorized persons of certain
lands in the Indian Territory ceded Dv the
Cherokees to the Government for the purpose
OF settlement by other Indian tribes. On the
18th OF April issued proclamation warning
all persons against participation in such an at
tempt, and by the cooperation of military
force the lnvasion was promptly checked. 1t is
my purpose 10 pr0tecg Une rights or the Indian
inhabitants of that Territory to the full extent
of the Executive; but it would be I'm
wise to ignore the fact that Territory
so large and so fertile, with a population so
sparse, and so great wealth of unu sed re-
sources, will be found more exposed to the rep
etltion of such attempts as happened this year
when the surrounding States were most densely
settled, and the westward movement of our
population looks still more eagerly for fresh
lands to occupy Under such circumstances
the difficulty of maintaining the Indian Terri
tory its present state will greatly increase, and
the Indian tribes inhabiting it would do we'll to
prepare for such a contingency I therefore
fully approve of the advice given to them by
the Secretary of the Interior on a recent
occasion to divide among themselves, in sew
crafty, as large quantity of their lands as
they can cultivate, to acquire individual title
IN fee, instead of their present tribal owner
ship in common, and consider in what manner
the balance of their lands may be disposed of
by the Government for their benefit BY
adopting such a rolicy they would more GER
talnly secure for themselves the value of their
possessions, and at the same time promote
their progress in civilization and prosperity,
than by endeavoring to perpetuate the present
state of things in the Territory.
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