New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-22
CONDITION OF TIL INDIANS.

AGING COMMISSIONER MARBLES RFPOET-AD
vANCEMENT TOWARD CIvuIzATIoN-1HE NUN.
BIER or INDlANs-THFIR DESIRE POR EDU-
CATrON-A PETITION FROM THE PoNCAs.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.-The annual report
Of the Indian Bureau Tor the year so mas been com
percd oy Acting Commissioner Marble, and is. made
pubic today.
1t exhibits a Continued steady advance
ment toward civilization the part of neariy
al the Iudan tribes, and very Re
markabe progress IN many instances. especially among
the Ogaala ana Brule Sioux Dakota and the Pacific
Coast Indians collected at the Yakima Agency.
TIE demands upon the Bureau by Indians al large
majority Of the agencies for implements with which
enable them perform manual labor are far
beyond the the dspos of tue Department for
thai purpose. TIE Actng Commissioner say:
The desire OF tie Indians TO labor is steadily growing,
and a large majority OF them willing and anxious 10
engds civilized pursuits, aud the imprOv ment In
Their manner Of putting in and caring for the crops
raised Shows maj e efforts OF ne past Few years arc
gradually bringing them To self supporting condition.
The efforts OF number OF Tribes III cuvdting the soil
have attended with degree Of success which al
distant day wil make tIern scli-supporIng and place
them beyond the care OF The Government.
The number oil Indians in me Unlt,d States, exclusive
Of Alaska. rporitd TO be 255,93s. all of whom. ex-
about $4,000 are more or less under erect control
now Tue oian Territory number 6O,560. and tn
clyiliz 1880 There are. III rounn numbers. 25000
Indians Dakota, $4,000 IN Nrw-Mrxlco, BLOOD IN
Montana. 1000 III Arizona and IA OO0 in Was ngton
m STATE and I more tEsn 1000 IN he
stat Of Iicnigan
The following figures show the substantial results Of
Indian labor during exclusive Of that OF the
acres broAeD % 2s3 acres cultivated l7Os47; bushes
wheat raised. 4l5,777; bushels of cora. Cos ABS
bushes OF oats and barley, 222 13s; bushels OF vreo
taoles 376,145 tons of Ray cut 56527; cattle owned
7S.Sl2 sheep owned, S64.l37.
lie I'VE civilized tribes nccomplished the following
of wheat raised. 336424; bushels of con, 1916 042;
bushels OF oats ana barley ia 56o busnel> OF yege-
tables $4,000; bales o. cotton raised l6,S00 OF
4o6,ss2 i'''O'' '''''' -''''A' SWING O""'O'
Acting Commissioner Marble reports that the demand
for te 10 their lands seteralty by the reservation
Indians is almost universal. He recommends under the
head Of necessary legislation: first the enactment OF
law 10 prevent p0ygamy aud 10 provide Tor legal mar
riages among II dans; second such amendments OF The
law concerning irespissers on Indian reservations as
will make them amenasle TO adequate punishment for
the first and all subsequent ofeDces third the enact
ment Of code OF criminal laws for Indian
The subject OF Indian education is made a prominent
topic III tAe report During tie year sky boarding and
10 day SCHOOLS nave Deen III operation among the
different Indian tribes exclusive OF the five CIVILIZED
tended by over 1000 children and taught by ZIG
teachers. me opportunity OF teaching In
how to read and think is found only in the boarding
SCHOOL, and for That reason the effort Of the ON during
ing boarding scloo acconm odatlnns at the various
agencies Only three new schools. however, have at
have erected. The educational wOrk limited
OF the inadequate appropriations made by Con-
dams at seventeen agencies have no treaty school
funds whatever. aud for educational facilities
prIatioD Tor education. Among those tribes
there least 1000 children OF school age There
pupls, and growing interest IN education the part
OF parents. TIE Bureau has made arrangements Tor
erecting eleven bOaringscDoOl buildings during the
coming season. and for the establishment OF thirteen
boarding-SehoOls. Increased provisions Tor the
hoped tua not less than $4,000 Will be appropriated
for that object by Congress at its next session.
The work and condition OF the Indian Industrial
Schools at Hampton, Va. and Carlisle, Penn. highly
commended. Tee condition OF the POncas the Iudian
Territory, the port says continues 10 be prosperous
seventyue houses. ana since the LIST of
January laet over seventy families have moved INTO
houses Mr.. Marble ADDS:
Meddes0unc persons still endeavoring to induce
the Poncas 10 abandon their present location aud return
TO Dakota but the leading men of the tribe have fire.
uuenty assured agent that they satisfied and do
not desire 10 return The efforts OF persons, how
ever unsettled feeling among the younger
tending TO retard tneir advancement which can. II IL be.
eved he rest by The enactment OF The law which
recommended III the asi annual report OF this Cfcc
providing Tor the permanent location OF tae POncas by
ia the reservation which they located, and
appropriation sufficient indemnify the tribe
The Poncas are anxious to have matters settled
and this end, under date Of rs utino the cbieis
1--WE, the unders gned, chiefs and head men Of the
Poncs tribe of Indians realize the importance OF set
men ed and hard control while they think
have right 20 our land in Dakota. ana tribe
viii not be finally settled until We have title to
present reservation and We have reDquished all right
10 our Dakota land. And We earnestly re-
Indians be permitted 70 Walt Washington the
coming winter for the purpose OF signing away
present reservation and settle our Sioux
troubles at time. We make the request
settled and begin ~ wOrx on their respective claims
Owe desre this visit in order 10 convince tho Gov
ernmen mat IL Is our 70 remain where We are
teams Wagons harness. tools. etc., with which 10 work
This petition is signed nv twenty Poncas including