The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-12
INDIAN EDUCATION.
Views of Capt. J. A. Sladen Of Il GenerEl
HOward's staff.
New York Express.l

do not think the government
schools are comforting any great bene-
fits upon the Indians. They are, of
course, not failures, for nothing which
seeks amelioration of race can be q
full in attaining their object. 1t is
with difficulty that the parents can
be induced to part with their children,
and though they fully appreciate the
advantage of O good education, still
they seem to regard such an action on
the part of the agents as sort of de-
mand for hostages, and therefore OBJ
ject. OF all the good schools could
spread, not one iota of it influences
the brave of to-day. The children of
chiefs and the children Of their chill
dren may in time become units in the
great sum of American civilization,
but to expect such thing during the
present generation is to wish for the
impossible. OF course the reserva-
tion is thing Of the past. No tract
of land can now be staked Off for the
occupancy of the Indians, and the
only way to dispose of them is either
to Danish them to Canada, kill them
or scatter them across the continent
in townships, surrounded by the in
fluence of law and order. 1t will be,
l think, absolutely impossible to bring
all the tribes of Indians and civilize
the entire mass. 1t has been ATTEMPTED
in a few minor instances, where three
or four tribes have been commingled,
but the attempt has always resulted
in ali utter and ridiculous failure.
Each tribe has its various customs,
which has been observed from time
immemOrial, and each other tribe re-
CARDS such customs as follies. Hence
such squabbles which would cOntinu-
ally occur, and which would some-
times result in q general war. If this
civilization of the Indian is to be car
ried out, influences of single charac-
ters of worth and integrity must be
brought to bear on tho n yage. Such
has bee,i doue In the cases OF the mis-
sionaries, and with signal effect. The
influence of the military posts on the
Indians surrounding them is and has
been uniformly good. The Indians
regard the post cOmmandant as a
great medicine, and when he is n good
man they respect and love him. In
the instance of Chief Joseph and Gen.
Howard, after the chief had been
beaten he wrote to the General and
asked his advice, saying in the body
Of his letter that he regretted not TAX
ing his advice before. The soldiers are
kept under control by their officers,
not alone for the moral Of the army,
but for their own safety. The Indians
always treat the officers with courtesy,
and although they appreciate the fact
that they are in a state Of war, they
nevertheless regard the men with
great friendliness. The great evil
done to Indians is not produced by
the speculations and vices Of the In
dian agents as much as by the white
men who are stock-raisers and hard
cases of the frontier. The Indian does
not take kindly to trading. He pre-
fers the pony as a means OF susten-
ance-that is he raises horses and
sells them to the border ranches, with
considerable profit; for the Indian
when he desires it, can be as sharp in
bargain as the most thorough Yam
kee of the east.