The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1880-06-08
4 lonIi;iaea s0s,i Fstst Eass.

Florida. The indians ia California have
somewhat decreased during the past sever,
years, now numbering 1906. The
tribes belonging q the Iroqnois are now
said 70 Be slowly increasing. These Ins
dams, Z il IS said, have experienced III
their history almost every test that can
be applied to people just emerging from
barbarism to civilization. The Sioux
are now estimated to be ten thousand
more than they were ten years ago.
From all reliable sources il IS clear that
the Indians are not destined to become
extinct nor are they a vanishing people
except as Indians but are destined to re-
main with Us and to form 4 permanent
part Of our civilization.
II has been claimed. and with much
reason. that the United States has never
had wise, philosophically mat1red
plan for the civilization Of the Indians ];
that nothing more than temporary expo
dents to keep the Indians quiet, have
ever been employed. Now It is claimed
by the Indian Bureau that we have an
Indian Policy, and with these essential
preliminaries, Ist, To set the Indians
to work as agriculturists Or herders, thus
to break up their habit Of savage life and.
To make them self supporting. and, To.
educate the youth Of both sexes, so as to
introduce to the growing generation civ
ilized, ideas. wants, and aspirations.
grid, TO allot parcels Of land to Indians in
severalty, and to give them individual
titles to their farms in fee, inalienable for
a certain period, thus to foster the pride
Of individual ownership Of property, in
stead of their former dependence upon.
the tribe, with its territory held in com
mon. 9TH, When settlement in seyeralty
with individual title is accomplished. to
dispose, with their consent, Of those
lands on their reservations which are not
settled and used by them, the. proceeds
to form a fund for their benefit, which
viii gradually relieve the government Of
+ the expense at present provided for by
annual appropriations. 5th.t Free access
to the Indians Of christian teachers and
Missionaries. to reclaim them from a de
basing paganism, and to win them to
pure and more ennobling faith, 9th,
Wise economy ii feeding and clothing
them, being careful not to make paupers
Of them, BY the encouragement Of a sys-.
TEN Of gratuitous supplies, but to minis
ter to their selfhelp BY insisting On their
contributing by their labor in return for
supplies given them. 9TH, Lessen the
number ofreservations blythe consolida-
ton of those among whom ties of kindred
orsfriendly relations exist, and we are fit
+, ted to live in peace. 9th, When this is
accomplished. to- treat the Indians like
other inhabitants Of the United States,
undo. the laws of the land Il"
4 Whatever defects this policy may have
it is certainly a great improvement
upon the past. 1t is believed that
this policy, wisely and persistently
administered will lead to the
rapid civilization Of the Indians. Com,
muning tribes upon reservations like
herds Of cattle in fenced pastures, without
any individual property in the soil, has
4 been the bane of our reservations. The
Indians must have permanent homes !;
their civilization is not sure without them.
If There must be laws for the protection
/ Of rights ofIndians as between themselves
and others. TheIIndians have never yet
felt the elevating influence Of wisely adj
ninist red laws. Laws prohibiting the
sale Of spirituous liquors to the Indians
must be stringently enforced.
Il But this is not all that is to be done.
It is neither by. legislation nor BY charity
that their civilization mainly must come
Il is from that enlightenment which shall
enable the individual to put forth his own
powers to better advantage and thus
achieve his own civilization. We do not
advocate at all the elevation Of the entire
mass Of the Indians to the rights Of citi-I
zen. t,s
Any policy that fails to educate and
make the Indians selfsupporting must ev-
identity hasten their determination. Mel
ther money nor any Of the things that
money can buy will render them less de-