The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1880-06-09
REGENTS PRIZE ESSAY.
~ !. GRAFTON.
Confsaed 1,om KSskyazy's Lssnr.

The problem then to be solved in In
4 dian affairs Is, how to reconstruct Indian
character how TO inspire selfrespect,
forecast, integrity, al the virtues Of the
better type Of humanity called civiliza5
ton. If this problem were solved in the
history Of any savage tribe, everything
revolving IN their outside manner of life
would slough Off We need not expect
sudden, radical Improvement from Tito
plan schemes Of any sort.
The remedy Of the evil TO be removed
IS nolsingle application Of any special
mode Of treatment; but the life long en-
deavor Of wise, faithful. Conscientious
teachers and missionaries who undertake
the service insno selfish. but seifsacri-
fcing spirit. and who have patience to
labor and to wait with faith in a harvest
Of results in the character and destiny Of
the chrildren. and children's children. of
the present generations We do not ex-
pect that many Of the old Indians will
leave their savage life. Our chief hope
lies in the education Of the young. and
tjust here our most persistent efforts should
be made.
Il costs three times as much to kill as
to civilize. Hand in hand with the teach
ers the missionaries must work. We ex-
poet little permanent progress without the
influence Of the gospel These are the
most potent civilizcrs. No Indian tribe
into which education and christianity have
been introduced, has given our govern.
nent any trouble BY war. The Modocs
who killed Gen. Candy, had never been
touched by education or Christianity; such
also was the case with the Sioux who
killed Gen Custer. These are the forces
that are to disintegrate the tribal relations
and elevate the Indian children Of to-day.
to the emotions, dignity, and character
of American manhood. and ultimately to
melt the scattered Indian tribes into the
body polite Of our nation, and thus end
all our Indian policy. .fH
Would the elevation Of the Indians to
citizenship best promote their civilization /
Experience in this direction has been at
tended with only partial success. Out Of
Of 1885 Indians to whom patents were is
sued in 1871 on the Chippewa reservation
in Michigan. fully 6xe,sixths havs sold,
or in some manner have been cheated out
oftheir land.
n Hear what the commissioner of Indian
affairs says citizenship If conferred
indiscriminately would, in my opinion.
while the Indians are in their present
transition state be Of incalculable damage
to them. We should move slowly in the
process Of making Indians citizeas, until
they are prepared to assume intefligently
its duties and Obligations
The experience Of the past shows that
to make them citizens hastily, is to make
them paupers. Indians Of full age are
infants IN law, and in fact they need 4
long Itutelage before launching them into
the world to manage their own affairs.
Entire civilization with education, knowi-
edge Of the English language. and bust
ness forms and matters. especially such
as relate to conveyance Of lands, should
precede citizenship if il is the intention
Of the government to save the Indians
from pauperism and determination
Now there can be no rational argument
advanced why when the Indians, Dr
any humber Of them have sufficiently adj
yanced ID civilization to comprehend our
form Of government and the duties and
obligations Of citizen, that tlh.y should
not be elevated to the rights Of citizen
ship As the Indian advances toward
civilization, he lays aside his tribal rela-
lions and would gladly assume those Of
the citizen. We do not understand that
the question contcmplates bestowing III
discriminatory upon the Indian the right
of citizenship II espective Of qualifications.
This IS more than the most sanguine
friends q the Indian could ask. Expe-
rience has showed that indiscriminate ele-
vation Of the Indian to citizenship, retards
rather than promotes his progress. We
are not 1t All in favor Of bestowing upon
the Indian privilege Or power which, as
2 race, he would not possess the first
qualifications 70 exercise. There IS i
pnaeiPle common - The human mind,