Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-01-26
AN INDIAN COMMISSION PROPOSED.
Synopsis or Secretary KirkwOOd's Bill
for Civilizing the Uneiyilixed.
Washington Post.

for CiviliZing the UneiTilized.
Washington Post
The bill prepared by Secretary Kirk.
wood for the improvement of the con.
dition of unciviIized Indians, and which
was submitted by the President to Con.
gress yesterday, provides for the appoint.
ment of a commission of thee members
to be known as the Commission on In
dian Civilization" and for a secretary
and interpreters to the commission. The
bill provides that the commission, under
the direction Of the Secretary of the In.
terror, shall visit such tribes "a the Pres.
ident may designate and authorizes
them after ascertaining the size OF their
reservations, the number OF Indians
thereon, and obtaining other information
to enlighten their judgment and un.
derstanding in the premises; to enter
into agreements with the Indians with
their free consent, for q reduction of
reservations in cases where the commits
sioners shall deem such reductions al.
visable In such cases the bill provides
for surveying the boundaries of the di.
minished reserves; to extend the public
surveys over the sarle and over the ce.
ded lands, and also provides for the sale
of the ceded lands for cash. The expen.
ses OF surveys and sale of lands 10 be paid
from the proceeds OF such sales aud the
balance to be placed to the credit Of the
Indians. The bill further provides for
conveying the diminished reserves by
patents to the Indians, giving perma.
nent ownership. except in cases OF allot-
ment in severalty in their tribal capaci.
ty. 1t provides for the allotment of
land in severalty, and If il is proved
that the Indian has cultivated the selec-
ted ten acres, il will be patented TO him
and the cost of improvement to the
amount of 500 in each case will be de.
frayed by the Government from the
proceeds OF the sale of the surrendered
lands. The proceeds Of the sales of
surrendered lands is TO be expended
under the direction OF the Secretary of
the Interior in the erection of houses,
purchase of harness, horses, cattle, far.
ming implements, etc, and in the
erection of school buildings, the pay.
ment Of teachers. and for subsistence of
school teachers when necessary. The
commission is directed in caseI where
IL Is not thought advisable to reduce
EErEINhtluuhs w EIttE HukO hEt TAfutTA8
for the survey of the boundaries OF the
reservations, to extend public surveys
over them, and to convey them by p.t
ents to the tribes for allotments in seve.
rally. The commisstpn is also authoriz.
ed to negotiate for the cession of entire
reservations and the removal OF the In
dians TO other reservations, surveys and
Gales Of such reservations TO be made
by the Govern ment and the moneys 10
be expended for the benefit of the In.
dians on the reserves To which they
may be removed. Provision ia also
made for allotments in severalty on
their new reserve. The object OF the
bill, az explained by Secretary Kirk
wood, is 10 eventually make the Indians
selfsupporting, TO give them their lands
in severalty and to educate and to civ
ilize them. Another feature ofthe bill
is to provide by treaty for paying the In
dians within q limited period after the
passage of the act or after the sums
shall become payable, the principal OF
oil trust funds now held by the United
States for Indians. And still another
feature is the gradual reduction Of the
annual appropriations by Congress for
the support of Indians until in the near
future. as the Indians become self sup.
porting, such appropriations shall en-.
tiFely cease. The bill, while aiming to
bring the Indians into condition OF
seltsuppor,, carefully guards all their
rights and interests. Il Is in full accord
with the recommendations contained in
the Secfetaiy's annual report, and with
the view oi the President upon Indian
affairs expressed in his messsge to
Congress.