The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-03-10
Our Dealings With the Indians.


over the nom dc plume of "H. H."
and who previous to her marriage
with Mr.. Jackson, of Colorado, was
the widow of the late Major r. b.
Hunt, of the United States Engineer
Corps, has given to the public book
entitled IA Century of Dishonor."
This is "a sketch of the United States
Governments dealings with some of
the. Indian tribes" and it embraces a
period of about one hundred years.
Mrs. Jackson has warmly espoused
the cause of the Indians of the Ameri-
can continent, all of whom she con-
tends have been systematically plum
dered of their lands and treated in
such a manner as to call for the cry of
"shame" from the whole civilized
world.
1t is her idea that every President
and every administration, from WASH
ington to the present time, has not
only failed to grant protection to the
Indians within our borders, but has
aided and abetted in despoiling them.
1t is unfortunately too true that the
various administrations have, with
out exception, failed to secure for the
Indians the fulfillment of the treaties
made with them. But it should be
pointed out, as an element in the prob
lem, that the tide of emigration has
set steadily for two hundred and fifty
years from the Atlantic toward the
Pacific. At every step the savGges
have been encountered, and every foot
of ground has been fought for. The
Puritan looked upon all Indians as
heathens, whose lands should be ap-
propriated for the chosen and peculiar
people; and the emigrant pushing his
way further and further towards the
west has rarely recognized that the
Indian had any right TO the soil, even
if he were tiller of the same. The
goddess miner and the godly puritan
have thus always been practically of
the same opinion in this matter. All
administrations, and perhaps chiefly
the one represented in Indian affairs
by Mr.. Schurz, have occupied them
selves less with Indian rights than
with fostering the greedy desires of
emigrants and miners to get possess
sion of territory granted by treaty,
forever, to the Indians. In the coun-
try embraced in the region around the
Black Hills was granted to the Sioux
by solemn treaty less than fifteen
years since; yet that is now a great
mining region, and it contains large
and fiourishing towns, peopled by en-
igrants and miners who laughed at,
or with the government for the pre-
tense of attempt it made to keep them
out of it.
Mrs. Jackson has done a good work
in putting in readable and popular
form the historic account Of our do
ings with the Indians, though her
sympathies naturally carry her into
the position of an advocate rather than
OF judge. She knows that there
have been people enough to magnify
the crimes committed by red men,
but they have had no literature to
record the crimes which white men
have committed upon them. When
the wild tribes of the west are closely
hemmed in by nigh civilization; when,
like the Oneidas, sSenecas, and other
remnants of the six nations, they are
in daily contact with the schoolhouse,
the church, Che factory, and the highly
cultivated farm, the Indian problem
will be solved, and not till then.
For many years we were compara-
lively free from trouble with the west
ern tribes. The officers of the army
in command of the military posts in
the Indian country were eX-off!cio In
dian agents, and the money appropri-
ated for the payment of annuities, etc,
and the presents, were fairly distrib.
uted. Our people could travel from
the Mississippi river to the Pacific
without fear Of molestation. But one
day we created new department.
that of the Interior-and the Indian
huroau WAS placed in that department
Then came the Indian ring. There
was "millions in it," The Indian bu-
reau became great political machine,
welding an immense patronage and
expending large amounts OF public
money, and no political party would
wish to give it up. The Secretary OF
the Interior recently said: II will
not consider the Indian policy in any
other way than that of erpediency.'
The conceit and ignorance which have
led late Secretaries Of the Interior to
dispute with army officers about things
of which the latter were personally
informed, and of which the former
knew nothing, are well known. Nei-
ther the Indians nor their friends can
expect any amelioration in the con-
dition of the former until radical
change Is made in the management
of their affairs. by which officers have
either the direct control Of Indians af-
fairs or are deferred to in their opin-
ions of practical management by those
in charge of the Indian bureau.
& Navy journal.
The stock excitement in New York
Is said to be the trick Of a clique OF