Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-12-04
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.


Mr.. Schurz, secretary of the interior, has
some very sensible words to say in his an
nual report relative to the management OF
the Indians to which Congress can afford to
pay strict heed. The Indian question has
long been one of the most perplexing that
has agitated the country. Year after year
the frontier has been devastated by the raids
of the savages, who have pillaged and MUIR
| dered the settlers almost with impunity.
Numberless houses have been burned, and
thousands of precious lives lost as penalty
for the bad management that has heretofore
| characterized the treatment of the aborigi-
impossible to keep the Indians on their res
ervatiOns for the reason that the rascally
agents have Incorporated the supplies in
tended for their support, leaving the saw
They have therefore been compelled to hunt
for game upon which to subsist, and have
naturally resisted all endeavors
to compel them to remain upon their reser-
vations to starve.
Secretary Schurz finds great fault with
the reservation system as being calculated
to maintain the barbarism which it should
be the purpose of the government to obliter-
ate. He thinks that the only way to civilize
the Indians is to bring them into close asso-
citation with the whites. This association
will show them the benefits of industry, and
at the same time inspire them with desire
to make themselves self supporting-to
strive for some of the luxuries as well as the
necessities of life. There is no more potent
incentive to effort than the fact that some
body is living more luxuriously than an
other. 1t is perfectly natural impulse
for even savage to try to
enjoy all the pleasures in life that they
see others enjoying, and it stands to reason
that for this cause the condition of the In
dams would be improved by bringing them
into constant and intimate contact with
their superiors in civilization.
1t is very evident that if the Indians are
to be civilized some change must be made in
their treatment. They should be encouraged
to enter upon agricultural pursuits, and it is
gratifying to be able to state that much pro-
gress has been made in this direction during
the past four years. When an Indian finds
that he can make himself independent by
the cultivation of the soil and at the same
time endure fewer hardships than if he fol-
lowed wild, nomadic life, he will naturally
settle down and in time be cured of his rest
less disposition and instincts. There is no
better way of civilizing the aborigines than
by showing them the benefits of industry.
A hoe placed in an Indians hands will do
more for his moral and physical welfare than
a Car load of tracts or hundred sermons.
1t is about tins that Congress adopted
common sense view of the Indian question.
The treaty obligations with these people
should be religiously observed. When an
nuities are paid it should be the endeavor of
the disbursing officer to encourage, by every
means in his power, the expenditure of
mo ney for purposes that will contribute to
the progress of the arts of civilization. Ii
is not impossible to make good citizens of
the Indians. Many of them have proved
their capacity for high decree of culture.
1t may be several generations before they can
be brought to contentment as jewellers in
cities, but their communities can be made
models of thrift and comfort with compare
lively ~ little effort. They should
be invested with absolute own
ership of the lands upon which they
reside, and be protected in the fruits of their
labor as jealousy as white men are protected.
When honesty in the conduct of our deal
ings with the Indians takes the place of
rascality, and when they are treated as
human beings, sensate like other mortals,
the Indian problem will not be as difficult of
solution as it now appears to be. Many of
Secretary Schurz's opinions and theories are
exceedingly timely, and should receive the
close attention of Congress at an early day.