New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-16
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
GOVERNMENT REPORTS.
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.

lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRtBUSE.'
WASHINGTON. Nov. 15.-Secretary Kirk
woods annual report, which completed to-day is
an exceedingly interesting document Some OF HIS recon-
mendaons, especially those relating the adnisra1
tion of Indian affairs viii be likely 10 attract wide at
tentiOn Secretary Kirzwood says:
The Indians should learn both to know the law and
administer it. They will not become law-abding citi:
zens until they do learn. In my Judgment 1t would
be well TO select some tribe or tribes among those
most advanced in civilization and establish them in .
form OF local government as nearly like az may be to the
or Territory which the reservations located, al
lowing the Indians TO elect corresponding county Of
force such laws Of tie state and Territory Congress
may deem proper 70 declare IN force In eaen eseryaon
for local purposes Should the experiment prove sue
path the Indian must travel II he shall reach full
and intelligent citizenship.
Readers of THE TRIBUNE may remember an account
published several weeks of conversation with
Secretary KrkwoOd, in which he outlined substantially
the views above expressed and at the time sug-
gested that the Omaha Reservation Nebraska might bo
good place whchto try the experiments The oniahas
have made considerable advancement in the ways OF
civilization, and of them read THE TRIBUNE; for
the Secretary received day from the Omaha
Agency, Nebraska, letter from which the following ia
an extract:
We understand you would turn reservation into
county. We do not know what county s or what the
word means, but we do know that we want TO become
Webone II w are i'm need of tbeIn and have long
us in the right way and whatever you do
Tor rs @ bs for necamo o@G sogq c 4bo"t tbo wbe sas
people bat the other half keep MS back Tney donos
what is rylt in all things What You would like 20 do
for us, we have heard from tine papers.
This letter bears the date November o. 1881. and ia
signed by Two Crow" and "Duhamonne," two menu
bers OF the Omaha tribe The Secretary observes that
further legislation is necessary for the definition and
punishment of crimes reservations, and raises tho
question whether the Apaches now In confinement for
outrages committed in Arizona and New Mexico last
summer are "prsoners" "criminals." lie refers TO
the widespread practice of polygamy among the In
dans and remarks it should be discOunteEanced,
and, If practicable, suppressed In speaking
of the Importance of educating the
youth and teaching them TO understand and
speak English Secretary RirkwoOd touches one point OF
vital importance. He calls attention to the notorious
and fruitful Of Indian difficulties in the fact that
nearly all intercourse with them is necessarily held
through interpreters who in many corrupt and
Unrustworthy. I appears that the Iudan schools at
Carlisle and Forest Grove must be discontinued and the
Indian pupils at Hampton must be Withdrawn before tho
close OF the fiscal year. unless Congress shall
money their support The Secretary does not
in recommend the continuance OF those enter
prse but expresses the opinion that the schools at the
several agencies should be cherished aud strengthened
Secretary Kirkwood makes practical suggestions
respecting he Indian titles to land He says: wish
to emphasize the point that asking too much OF
the Indian when we ask him TO build up farm lR
the timber prairie with the belief that at some
future time he will he compelled to choose between
abandoning the fruits Of his labor or his kindred and
tribe White men would not do and we should not do
So" The Secretary, therefore, earnestly recommends
that if the present number OF reservations shall be
maintained they shall with the consent of the Indians
be reduced in size a reasonable eXtent In fair ana
equitable terms aud that for these diminished reserva
tons full patents shall be issued To the Indians by the
Government; and further, that whenever an individual
of tribe shall make permanent Improvements upon any
land he shall be given separate title therefor aud that
such individuals shall be encouraged by assistance IN
| building houses for themselves.
Tie Secretary is inclined think that it would be bet
ter on the whole IT, IN place Of the hundred and two
reservations OF the Mississippi five or six large res
ervatOns could be established upon which should be
~ tbs Wissss,ni Sueh consolidltiou would obviate
the ssity maintaining at great expense the thirty
near tbe srateFd acencies secreary Krkw0od recom-
mends that commission Of eminent citizens be ap-
pointed and authorized TO visit the western country
next summcr 10 study this proposition and report upon
its possibility and adyisabhJy. In has report secretary
KirkwOOd also repeats recommendation Hhich las
been heretofore published in THE TRIBuNL. that some
reservations, like those of the Che ennes aud AT.
rapahoes and the hiowas and Comanc.s being unsuttd
to agriculture, the Indians such reservutns DC fur-
nished with herds ot cattle and eneonrlged to mako
themselves selfsupporting as herdsIneh ana STOCK
| rasers ,,., ,. ~, - r,,.
teach only proper occupation Tor brave
man is the chase and hence they regard labor,
manual labor, degrading We should not be Impatient
with them en- account, for while It may be curious
thar should he so il is fear true that this opinion Of
these people stanS Seye Gh tf Ee 70 have raed
topmOst heights or CIVILIZATION ana re lnehent'
Adult Indians thoroughly grounded in the aith tat La.
bor is degrading prefer paupcrsm 10 independence
that s prefer 20 live upon food furnished by tne labor
nreferepce which Is perhaps shared with them by soma
white men This is not true, however OF all Indians.
Many individuals Of some OF OF the tribes are Sihg 10
| work and are working under many dlHlcuiues'
1.-THE titles oI the Indians to most OF their ftseFyG
tons perhaps all OF them, except those In tie lhan
Territory, not such the courts are Bound 10 pro
nnon the exeeutIye and legislative departments OF tho
Government The reservations set apat Dy treaty OK
larger than necessary Gf cultivated i0r the support OF
the tribes placed thereon; our people ~ n' and see
ing them large tracts OF fertile land, wltnnsla dSln
muyaiIon--hnye called upon the executive and legisa.
tive departments ~ make new treaties new o.u ane
new laws and these calls have generally been Needed
NON il rs cicar to me that Indian will with good heart
engage in making and improving allh WIN the Ano"
edge the prospect that after ne mas 80 one &c may a'
| any time be required to leave II and move on.
Their attachment to hndIea anu TIDE - ~ tS
Indian father OF to-day might have assurance that MS
children as well as himself could have home.
The of $50 carefully expended by JudleoGs asent
will enable an indian ON many reservation Win ms
cuied by MANY OF frontier settlers and much more
comfortable than the lodges III when they lave been
! house and his own land, with beginning made ~
tue way OF farming. feeliaR OF personal "wh'tsp hno
Importance will developed and produce good results
And in buidHng houses preference should DE eNen 70
those who have selected ianu IN sevsIa! ~ 80" en- oser
OF such aid should be hcld ou as an induee'nt 30 ~
indian Office every year, 10 expended for hls pur.
pose exclusively, The effect woulh DC eho.nis a I,,
The Secretary mentions the agreements Hhoc uIiuS
the mast wear by Chicago, Milwaukee anu ~ ram,
the Northern Pacific, the Republican valley e o. fhuI
and SiouX tity. the Carson and C0lohiO tnc Dakous
CeutruI and the Utah and Northern Railroad Companies
end the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, with
vaHious tribes permission 10 extend their
lines across Indian reservations, ana e reports
that he intends submit these agreements 10 Congress
| with his recommendation tnat they be ali rgtned
I is also mentioned that an agent o the Depailmene
is now iu Choctaw country with directions 70 sUos
TO the constituted authorities or that Nation 'Le sP
| plications of several railroads wDicb Seshhe
the privilege OF constructing their lines tn1ousn
Choctaw country north and south II the Nauon H.
avorably the Applications and the SAINT tSosn ~