Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-17
THE INDIAN PROBLEM.
IFrom Harper's wcekly.l

ltEom haIpefb Nceky,l
General Crook, the hero of the daring
though bloodless campaign against the
Apaches in Mexico is the reputed author of
the remark that lit is cheaper to feed an In-
dian than to fight him." This simple maxim
is the basis of much of what is vaguely
called the Indian policy of the government,
and it is perfectly sound as far as IL goes.
Unfortunately it does not 60 very far II it
be cheaper to feed the Indian than to fight
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 conduct himself in all
ways as a civilized person and 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 Blu
reau of Indian Affairs have set for them
selves, aud toward which there has been
made irregular but real progress The first
step was to see that the feeding process was
honestly and fairly done, that the Indians
got all that was bought for them, and that as
much was bought as the money appropriated
would pay for. This was accomplished by the
appointment of the Indian commssion-a
separate body of citizens chosen for their es-
tablished reputation for integrity and bust
ness capacity, to whom was intrusted the su.
pervision Of the contracts and tho inspection
of the materials bought. Theirs was
tIOuDlthOulb anu hl uEbl u NuhDkltbb lhbk, Out
it has finally been done In their last report
the commission, of which General 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 fair
ly, and the parties that offer the most suita-
BILE goods and at the lowest prices got the
contract"
But while the goods distributed to the In
dians are honestly bought and fairly given
out, there is one radical difficulty in the ex-
isting system. The idle, marauding, turbu.
lent Indians are much more promptly served
and better treated than the peaceful and Or
derly Indians, who are desirous OF getting
lands Of their own, and raising 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
| carelessness of Congress. The Bureau has
| not money or men enough nt its command to
do its work thoroughly, and it is extremely
natural that when trouble is threatened its
| 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 fulfill.
ment of treaties made nearly thirty years
since, guaranteeing them separate home
| steads, and the Indian commission name ten
other tribes in Dakota Kansas, Nevada, and
the Indian Territory whom they know to be
anxious for such Rllotments.
In spite of these difficulties, very consider
| able progress has been made. Iu 1868 there
were less than 900, 600 bushels of grain and
vegetables raised by Indians in 1852 the
quantity was nearly 3,S00,000, or more than
| four times as much. The amount of hay in
/ oraacaH nina iinau tba har Of pattl,. a nd
swine more than ten times, while the number
| Of sheep advanced from 2GS3 to l., ,3O4, 73O.
| The acreage of land cultivated increased
| from 81 207 to 5G9, $50. These are eloquent
| figures They are absolutely convincing a.
| to the possibility of ultimately bringing all
the Indians into a self-supporting condition.
| Necessarily the work will be slow and ardu-
GUS but it is distinctly practicable, and its
accomplishment is the one supreme duty OF
| the national government.
Apart from the obvious duty of the gov.
| ernment to encourage the settlement of adult
Indians upon lands where they can earn theii
own living, and their occupation in civilized
pursuits, there is the work of education to be
energetically pushed. Here, too, there has
| been fair commencement after much doubt
hesitation, and uncertainty. Not only have
| the normal schools at Hampton and Carlisle
| done excellent service, but the agency schools
mainly supported by various religious socie
ties, have made a very good beginning. Prob
| ably little more than one in five of the In
dian children of school age now actually at
| tend school in one way or another, while the
number is steadily increasing. The industIi
al schools have turned out pupils who make
very fair workmen, and will do better as they
| gain experience. A tribute to their success
| is paid by some of the whites in the neigh
| borhoods where they are engaged, who are
already raising the cry that they are en-
| croaching on the labor market which ough
to be reserved for the paie.skins. In this di
rection Just enough has been done TO show
that much more is possible, and to make fur
ther effort an imperative duty.
One thing is plain we ought to hear nc
more of the senseless and brutal denuncia
tion of all Indians as treacherous. Genera
Crook intrusted his own life and the lives o
all his officers in the hands of a body o
armed Indian scouts, Outnumbering tn
whites five to one, in the heart of savag
country, and in the face of an Indian encm!
Of the most despcable character. He haC
hardly plunged into the mountains befor
the frontier,men spread the report that b
had been murdered, with all his white men
by his Indian scouts. There was not wor
of truth in it. The scouts were perfect
faithful In the same connection it must b
nOleu tnhl the government eiuploys sone H'u
hundred Indians as police force. The ez
pertinent was begun five years ago this sum
mer, and its success is entirely satisfactory
The men are distributed among forty ager
cies They are, says Indian Commissiore
Price, proud of being considered Unite
States soldiers, and are uniformly faithfr
and true to the government. Wearing tn
uniform of officers of the law, they have a
educational influence over their associates tn
value af which can not be estimated" Th
privates receive eight dollars per month, th
sergeants get ten, and the commissioned of
GERS fifteen dollars per month. How ofte
does the police force of any city, composed {
white men, and paid ten times as much, d'
serve such tribute as these Indians receive
Such tests as these of the capacity of IndiaI
for civilized life are conclusive as to the fol
of the old policy of neglect or exterminatioI