The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-07-01

VI industry which presented themselves
when she said, "You would hav,
found less to interest you had yon beei
here ten years ago" She then went o.
to describe the condition Of affairs 81
that time. Hundreds of scantily cloth
ed Indians cOngregated freqnentl,
around the agency buildings, scarcely
one degree removed from their ubrigina
wildness. Bawls and fights brt~ccr
unfriendly tribes were OF common oe
currence. Order and system were 81
most unknown. The reverse of all tbi,
is true now. About the time referred
10 by Mrs. Boswell, the present policy
known M the Peace Policy, went intr
operation. There are at present noI,
than 200 dwelling houses occupied by
Indian families on the reservation
Very few Indians, at any ob.. time are
seen about thu Agency buildings
When they come, no FAR ns my ol,ser
vations extenls, they i,ansact their
bnSiness, get what they NsHt. or nhpi
the agent thinks they need, aud then
retire. In thia particular respect
nothing has impressed ine more forcibly
during my visit than the idea that Mr.
Swan, the agent, has impressed hi,
personality among those mrler his
charge To marked degree lie j. a
man who understands his bd.iness, or
] an very much InistAkcn. | have
4 .....an..l 4 I...s..
satisfy me that the rcicilions instinct
IL not extinct among the reservation
Indians, but for all that they are held
we'll in hand. have n1t male IL NY
business 10 pry into the household ~.
rangcmenls or ways of living Of these
Indians, but opportunities of seeing
something Of their domestic economy
have presented themselves and in a
number Of instances have found CON.
fortabls aud well ORDERED interiors,
cooking stoves, dishes, knives and forks,
bedsteads, chairs, papered walls and
otner appliances Of civilization. ia
many cases the rule sail l0 obtain
among the "Pcunsy lvsi,ia Dutch pre-
walls. and the hainSate letter built and
more commolipus shtn "a ! vellings.
LASD TESuRgs AsD ALi.orMtNTs
4 hasty glance at the earlier reports
Of agents not only ou tlis reservation
and in this state, but elsewhere reveals
The fact that but little system, and
that little uncertain ia its character
and purposes, has prevailed in the mat
ter of allotting land To Indian families
Running through all however appears
u b- the idea. more especially of late
year, ON the part of the General Gov
ernm nt of encouraging the Indians il
the Relief that il they will address
themselves seriously AMI Earnestly to
the work Of hnilding hnn,,~ AMI im
! proving their farms the ,iilc thereto
will in dns time lest IN them. II Is yerS
e,.,ts,in that on this agency this belief
aninat''s great many worthy and ia
du.iriuas men: while nc the sIIne timl
th.. fear that IN tie course of tim'
eviction will follow and that all tbei
labor will 90 for nsught irouhles mans
of them greatly. As / understand il
the resident agent here makes it hii
business To assure 'l,e industrious unael
his charge that they neel have no feai
on the latter score. a general feelins
of conf lcnce in the good faith Of th,
United States Government in thesi
promises seems to he prevalent anon:
the Indians, 80 much so that mani
chronic absentees are returning an,
asking far allottmentS. Here * on
fact in relation 20 the last rame.l class
On their arrival they are at oncs an,
finally informed by Mr.. SNan that j
they pave tcrn d with view cf "a, al
ing themselves Of The chance offered Z
make homes fJr themselves and AR
ready TO select piece of ianl and i'm
prove il, ample assistancs in the wa
Cf lumber Tor building, teams to breal
up land, seeds to plant and tools L
! work with will be given them, while
on the other hand they expect 70 hav
rsltions issued to them anl otherwise b
supported in idleness they will iin
} themselves altogether m'stakrn Tn
consequence ia, as above iafiumted, N
idlers are seen around the s.a,is, AMI
as | saw for myself, during M drive
over the agency farms, new places ar
! being opened up aud new houses bein
built.