Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-22

HE INDIAN PROBLEM.-General Crook,
the hero of tine daring though bloodless
campaign against the Apaches in Mexico.
is the reputed author of the remark that
cit is cheaper to feed an Indian than TO
fight him This simple maxim is the
basis Of much of what is vaguely called
the lndlan policy of the government, and
" IS perfectly sound as far as it goes.
Unfortunately it does not 60 very far. If
it be cheaper to feed the Indian than to
tight him, it is still cheaper in the long
run, as we'll as wiser and more humane,
to teach him to feed himself, and to con
duct himself in all ways as q civilized
person and a citizen of the United States
That is the goal which from time to time
those in authority in the department of the
interior and in the bureau of Indian affairs
have set for themselves, and toward which
tnere has been made irregular but real
progress. The first step was to see that
the feeding process was honestly and fair
iy done, that the Indians got all that was
bought for them. and that no much was
bought as the money appropriated would
pay for. This was accomplished by the
appointment of the Indian COMMISSIONS
established reputation for integrity and
business capacity, to whom was intrusted
the supervision Of the contracts and the
inspection of the materials bought. Theirs
was troublesome and at first thankiess
task, but it has finally been done. In their
last report the commission, of which Ge n
eral Clinton b. Fisk is chairman, declared:
"Under the present JOINT management of
the interior department and the board no
favoritism is shown; everything is done
Openly and fairly, and tho parties that
offer thu most suitable goods and the
lowest prices get the contract"
But, while The goods distributed t. the.
Indians are honestly bought and fairly
given out, there is one radical difficulty in
the existing system The idle, mtrauding
turbulent Indians, are much more prompt
~ served and better treated IMAM the
DESTROYS of getting lands of their own, and
taising their own supplies. This is due
partly to the frequent changes IN the
bureau and in the interior department.
and partly TO the ignorance and careless
ness of congress. The bureau has not
money or men enough at It's command to
do It's work thoroughly, and it Is extreme.
ly natural that when trouble is threatened
It's times and means should be devoted to
avoid it, while the rest of Its work suffers.
The result is unavoidable that while the
restless savages get pretty much what
they want, there are tribes in Oregon and
Washington Territory who are yet waiting
for the tulfillment of treaties made nearly
thirty years since, guaranteeing them
separate homesteads, and the Indian com
mission name ten other tribes in Dakota
Kansas, Nevada, and the Indian Territory
HON they know to be anxlou, for such
allotments.
In spite of these difficulties, very consid.
cradle progress has been made. In 1868
there were less than 100000 bushels of
grain and vegetables raised by Indians in
1882 the quantity was nearly 100000, or
more than four times as much. The
amount of hay increased nine tines, the
number of cattle and swine more than ten
times, while the number of sheep advanced
from 26S3to1 ,304, $50. The acreage of land
cultivated increased from 5i,2e7 to $685..
3S2. These are eloquent figures They
ire absolutely convincing as to the posi-
oility of ultimately bringing all the
Indians into a self.supporting condition
the work will be slow and
lrduous; but it is distinctly practicable,
md its accomplishment is the one supreme
luty of the national government.
A part from the obvious duty of the
government to encourage the settlement
If adult Indians upon lands where they
AN earn their own living, and their occu.
patton in civilized pursuits, there is the
work of education to be energetlcally
pushed. Here, too, there has been fair
after much doubt, hesita-
ion, and uncertainty. Not only have the
formal schools at Hampton aud Carlisle
lone excellent service, but the agency
chools, mainly supported by various
eligious societies, have made very good
BEGINNING, Probably little more Than
ne in five of the Indian children of school
ge now actually attend school in one way
II another, while the number is steadily
Increasing, The industrial schools have
urned out pupils who make very fair
vorkmen, and will do better as they gain
experience. A tribute to their success is
,aid by sone of tho whites in the neigh
'orhoods where they are engaged, who
re already raising the cry that they are
on the labor market which
ught to be reserved for the pale skins
n this direction Just enough has been
lone to show that much more is possible,
nd to make further effort an imperitive
utv.
One thing is plain: we ought to hear no
more OF the senseless and brutal denuncia-
ion of all Indians as treacherous. Gener
1 Crook intrusted his own lite and the
ives of all his officers in the hands of
body of Indian scouts, outnumbering the
whites five to one, in the heart of savage
ountry, and in the face of an Indian enc
ny of the most despcabIe character. He
lad hardly plunged into the mountains
eiore the irontletSmen spread the report
hat he had been murdered, with all his
white men, by his Indian scouts There
vas not Il wor0 Of truth in it. The Scouts
we're perfectly faithful. In the same con
ection it must be noted that the govern !
tent employs some nine hundred Indians
S II police force. rhe experiment was
e9un five years ago hls summer, and It's |
ucccss Is entirely satisfactory. The men
re distributed among forty agencies
They are" says Indian Comm lssIoner
lice, proud OF being considered Uulted
Lales soldiers, and are uniformly faithful
nd true 10 tho government. Wearing the
inform of officers of Inc law, they have
n educational influence over ,helr asso,.
mtes the value OF which can not be estl
lated" The prlvates receive eight dol
rs per month, the sergeants get ten, and
lie commissioned officers tf cen do lars
er month. How often does the police
nee OF any city, composed of white men,
nd paid len times as much, deserve such
trlbn c rs these Indians receive? Such
sts as the, OF the capacity OF Indians foe
vlll2ed life are conclusive us to the folly
the Old policy of neglect or oxlermnt.
on.-FiOm HayDers Wee6ly.
IL,