Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-09-10
A'ashlngtun Standard
An Infamous Policy.

Drorer's Journal there appeared an
der the above head the following
sensible article upon the i'tan
question. When he peopir
East him to treat the INDIA i'",t
ton in other than a sentiment ,
manner it Will he speedily anl salts
factorily settled:
"The Indian policy of this Gov
eminent is something beautiful to
contemplate. There is nothing like
it in any other country ON earth.
According to the b.>t auth rites
since the present Indian POI ." vas
adopted 1t has cost the Cow 'ent
no less than 500 600, OUo. / is
vast sum has been hung fro" the
tex payers OF the land and exp led
In fruitless attempts to contrn md
civilize the Indians. Tens of thou
sands of dollars are appropriated
every year to support the Indian
Bureau, with It's commissioner,
clerks, etc. The result of all this
has been the creation of the most
stupendous system of legalized pau
perlsm ever known in civilized ma
nation.
Two hundred and seventy-tive
Thousand Indians in the United
States and Territories occupy 2SG,-
$50 square miles of land--a scope
larger than France, larger than Ger
many, larger than England and Ire
land combined. The Territory oc-
cupied by lazy, thriftless, degraded
and vicious savages. comprises more
than 150, 900, 900 acres, of which
they cultivate less than half mil
lion acres. Besides this special
privilege accorded them in the mat
ter of land, they are furnished 10y
the Government with millions of
dollars worth of provisions, cloth
~. ammunition and arms every
e.,.. Mora than 900 treaties with
ian tribes have been made since
.s Government was established,
i yet the Government treats the
Eans as p1upers, at the same time
*, il recognizes them as distinct
Aaslonalites. Could anything be
more inconsistent or absurd? IT
the Indian tribes are to be- treated
rs foreign nations, then what right
has the Government TO support
them as paupers? 1t has no such
right, and no honest, intelligent
person really believes it.
The indians are an able. bodied
race. T ey arc as capable Of labor
ing to support themselves as are
white inen If they can hunt, steal,
scalp and kill, they can ,cork. And
to compel the white people of this
hand to support such wretches in
idleness, and worse than idleness il
simply infamous.
Then again, it is u shame and a
disgrace for the Government to set
apart vast areas of rich, valuable
land for the exclusive occupancy of
lazy savages and forbid the white
man from entering therein and de.
veloping tho resoul ces of such lands
This country was intended for the
use of those who will develop and
improve it, and the Government has
NO right to grant special privileges
to a gang OF rowing, thieviny, muir
dering vagabonds who are too lazy
TO work and mean enough to perpe-
trate the most diabolical crimes ever
conceived of.
The entire system of Indian reser-
vations aud apnuities should be abol-
ished. Every Indian within the jur-
isdic.ion Of the Unied States Govern
ment should be held amenable to
eua laws. just rs white people are.
He should have the same privileges
and protection that the white u,an
enjoys-no more, no less. If he
will not work, or support himself in
soine lawful and honest manner, then
Let him starve.
Every white man in this land should
demand that the infamous Indian
policy SO long in vogue be immedia-
tely and forever abolished.