Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-18
SECRETARY scHURz AND TIE INDIANS,

Indians. It must be admitted that more
real advance has been paade towards that
object during the present administration
than ever before Mr.. Sehurz shows that
with the exercise of patience, watchfulness
and kindness, most of the Indians can be
brought under civilizing influences. They
require, however, constant assistance dur
ing the transition period, and it is neces-
sary that whatever is requisite for their
maintenance until they have learned to
| support themselves should be furnished
literally. He points out that the transition
state, while one of hope, is also one Of
great danger. So Then the picturesque,
warlike, self-relying Indians of the
wilderness gradually disappears. He
"enters into conditions and relations OF
:" life entirely new TO him; his self
"reliance gives way ne does not know
whether that which he learns is good
or evil; he is liable to acquire with the
virtues of civilization its vices, and the
latter more easily than the former he is
'' a mere child, alike accessible to evil and
to good influences He is exposed to
many dangers. He is liable TO be cheated
out of his property before he has fully re-
allied its value He is liable to become a
drunkard through bad example. He must
learn to overcome his lifelong habit of
careless improvidence. Every step he
takes will only impress his helplessness
upon him more forcibly, and therefore it is
necessary that the Government should
exercise truly paternal vigilance over
him until he has learned independence
and the intelligent employment of his
rights. Nor must too much be expected
from him at first. It must be remem-
bered that he has not only every
thing to learn, but everything to
unlearn. If he does not in single genera
ton become useful citizen we must not be
disappointed. There are many thousands
of white men who have had infinitely
greater opportunities CT civilization than
the Indians, yet have not profted by
them. Mr.. Schurz shows that many In-
dians have been already taught farming
and mechanical industries. Some of them
have learned blacksmithing, others carpen-
tering, many are permanently established
on farms of their own, in many quarters
theyhave good schools, and appreciated them.
In short, it is evident that with the right
kind of treatment these nomads may be
brought out of theirrestlesssa and
be transformedinto peaceful and industrious
settlers Enough has been done to make 1T
apparent that Mr.. Schurz has chosen the
right policy to pursue in regard to them,
and if the future does not turn out as well
as the past it will be because his policy is
no longer in operation. He is strongly op.
posed to transferring the control of the
Indians to the army, and gives many and
sound reasons for his opinion in this con-
nection. Indeed all the exhibits of his
report bear out his conclusion that the
&C mission OF the Indian management will
thereafter be, more than ever, mission of
"peace and not mission of war.
Mr. Sohurz believes that it would be
very ill.advised for Congress at this iunct-
ure to attempt any parsimony in the mat
ter of Indian appropriations. Such a
policy, he points out, has often led to seri.
GUS trouble and very costly complications.
He believes that generous appropriations
now, when the general temper OF the Indians
is so good, will produce the best and most
lasting results, and thus save money in
the end. He says "When an Indian
olives in home which he considers his
''own and that of his family, as now
thousands of families are living and
"many more thousands desire to live !;
"when he cultivates his own acres, has
''them fenced by his own labor, and en-
"joys the product of his agricultural
"work, either by his own consumption or
" the sale of surplus when he owns his
"plow and his wagon, and uses the latter,
with his ponies, in freighting, by which
he earns liberal wages when he has his
"cows, and swine, and poultry on his land,
"the care of which he finds useful and
profitable when he can send his chill
''dren to school, and begins to hope that
"they may become as civilized and pros
'perous as white people, he will soon cease
" to think of leading the life of nomad,
"and the thought of war will no
"longer have any charm for him. +"
Nor is this, the Secretary alleges, fancy
picture. He has himself seen multitude
of examples of this kind, and the evidences
of growing desire for civilization on the
part of the Indians are being brought to his
attention continually. This is encouraging
information, and the only fact connected
with it which is to be at all regretted is
that Mr. Schurz cannot retain his present
position to carry out his noble work of
civilization according to his own plans
during the ensuing four years. In this
periodical change of ministers lies one of
the main difficulties in the way of pursu-
ing steady Indian policy. The incoming
Secretary of the Interior is sure to have
ideas of his own, Or he may not approve
those of his predecessor. and so the scheme
of Indian management is liable to be
changed at the most critical periods, per-
haps at the sacrifice of all which it has
taken years of patient work to accomplish.
Mr.. Schurz has nevertheless done his full
duty in his Office, and he has SO raised the
standard of efficiency in it that his sue
cessor will have to be a very able and
conscientious man if he eIevates it still
further.
FOOD ADULTBRArIoN.
The rand erread of oIso,,, rc,ar;ra ,-h;oJ,