The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-12-08

SlOu 10 Jue management OF the IN
dian affairs. While this question
has been cause of trouble and EN-
barrassment from the infancy ofth,
government, it Is but recently thai
any effort has been made for its solu
ton, at once serious, determined
consistent and promising success. II
has been easier TO resort to conve
nient make-shifts for tiding over
temporary difficulties than TO crap
pie with the great permanent prob
lem, and accordingly the easier
course has almost invariably been
pursued. 1t was natural at time
when the national territory seemed
almost illimitable and contained
many millions of acres far ontsid,
the bounds of the civilized settle
ment, and that a policy should have
been initiated which more than
aught else, has been the fruitful
source of our Indian complications
| refer, of course, to the policy oi
dealing with various Indian tribes
as separate nationalities and
RELOCATING to them by treaty
the occupancy of the immense
reservations i'll the west and en-.
cOuraging them to live in a savage
life undisturbed by any earnest and
well directed efforts to bring them
under the influences of civil.
cation. The unsatisfactory results
which have sprung from this
policy are becoming appar.
ent to all, as the white settle.
ments have crowded the borders oil
the reservations. The Indians, some.
times contented and sometimes
against their will, have been trans.
ferred to other hunting grounds
from which they have again been
disfodged whenever their new-found
homes have been desired by adven-
turous settlers. These removals and
the frontier commissions, by which
they have often been pressed, have
led to frequent and disastrous con.
flicts between the races. IL is
profitless to discuss here which
of them has been chiefly responsible
for the disturbances whose recital
occupies so large space upon the
pages of our history. We have TO
deal with the appalling fact that
though thousands of lives have been
sacrificed, and hundreds of millions
Of dollars expended in the attempt
to solve the Indian problem, it has
until within the past few years
seemed scarcely nearer Il solution
than il was half century ago, but
the government has been cautiously
and steadily feeling its way to the
adoption of a policy which has al
ready produced gratifying results,
which in my judgment, is likely, if
congress and the executive accord
in it's support, to relieve us from
the difficulties which have hitherto
beset us; for the success Of the ef-
forts now making to introduce
among the Indians the customs and
pursuits Of civilized life, and gradu-
ally to absorb them into the mass of
our citizens, sharing their rights
and holding to their responsible
ties, there is imperative need for
immediate action. Ny suggestions
in that regard will chiefly be such
as hive already been called to the
attention of congress, and which
have received, to some extent, its
consideration. l first recommend
the passage of an act making the
laws of various states and terrific
ries applicable to the Indian reser-
vatiOns within their borders and ex-
tending the laws of the state of
Arkansas to the portion Of the In
dian Territory, not occupied by the
five civilized tribes. The Indian
should receive the protection of the
law. He should be allowed to main
tain in court his right of person and
property. He has repeatedly beg
ged for this privilege, and its exer-
else would be very valuable to him
in his progress toward civilization.
Second of even greater importance
is measure which has been frequent
ly recommended by my predecessors
in Office and in furtherance of which
several bills have, from time to time,
been introduced in both houses of
congress. The enactment OF Il
general law permitting allotment
in severalty to such Indians at least
as desire it, of a reasonable quaint
ty of land decided to them by patent
and for their own protection made
inalienable for twenty or twenty
five Years, is demanded for their
present welfare and their perma-
nent advancement. In return for
such considerable action on the part
of the government there is rea-
son to believe that Indians in large
would be persuad-
ed to sever their tribal re-
latiOns and to engage at
once in agricultural pursuits.
Many of them realize the fact that
their hunting days are over. and
that ii is now for their best inter
ests 20 conform their manner of
life to new order of things by no
greater inducement than the assn
rance of a permanent title TO the
soil. Can they be led to engage in
the occupation of tilling the soil
The well attested reports of their
interest in husbandry
justify the hope and belief that the
enactment of such a statute as /
would be at once at
tended with gratifying results.
A resort to an allotment
system would have a direct and
powerful influence in dissolving
the tribal bond which is so promi-
nent a feature of savage life and
which tends so strongly to perpetu-
ate it. Third advise liberal ap.
for the support of In
dian shoots, because of my confident
belief such course is consistent
with the wisest economy even among
the most uncultivated Indian tribes.
There is reported to be a general
and urgent desire on the part of the
chiefs and older members for the
education of the little children.
II is unfortunate in view of
this fact. that, during the past year,
the means of which have been at
the command of the interior depart
ment for the purpose of Indian in
have proved to be utterly
inadequate. The success OF the
schools, which are in operation at
Carlisle and Forest Grove
should not only encourage a more
generous provision for the support
Of those institutions, but should pro-
mote the establishment of similar
character. They are, doubtless,
much more potent for good than
day schools upon the reservation, as
the pupils are altogether separate
from the surroundings of savage
life. and brought into constant
with civilization? There are many
other phases of this subject which
are OF great interest, but which can
not be included within the becom-
ng limits of this communication
They are discussed ably in the re-
ports of the secretary of the interior
and the commissioners IF tha Tnd;o