The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-12-08
DEPARTMENT REPORTS.
Secretary Of the InterIor,s Report.


Secretary of the Interior has submitted his
annual report, which is lengthy and ex-
haustlve review of our internal affairs, the
most important features ct which are here
with given:
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The report of the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs shows that there has been a very con-
siderable Improvement among the various In
dian tribes, with but little dissatisfaction and
but one outbreak, and thaA among the
The Secretary recommends phianthropic
laws for his protection, and to which he shall
himself be subject; that he shall be allowed
to become citizen of the United States, il he
so wills, and that all treaties impossible of
shall be repealed or modfed; S and 9tTSS that no
more treaties shall be made statutes en-
acted on the basis of agreements made with
the Indians.
There was appropriated and expended dur
ing the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, for the
ment has no treaty, 81, $4,000. The propriety
of such appropriations is admitted, but the
Secretary urges that they should be at the
disposal of the department, and he insists that
the cultivation of land or the care of stock
ceiving aid from the Government, with view
to making the Indians, as far as possible, self
supporting.
DIsARM1NG THE INDIANS.
The Secretary renews his recommendation
for the disarming of the Indians. On this
If we su6sst the Indian, he has no use for
firearms, and it is not economy to allow him
to retain his arms for the purpose of supply
ing himself with game; far better to give him
asuihciency of food,and require him TO remain
on his reservation. If the Indian is dsarmed
he will cease to be an object of terror to his
white neighbor, aud the friendly relations that
ought to exist between the white settler and
his Indian neighbor will not be wanting. 1t
is unsafe to trust an Indian with a gun; the
a desire to use it. The The unarmed ned
Indian is as safe in any country
of his weapon ana the knowledge that he
may be tempted to use it that creates hostil-
Disarm him and put him under the protection
of the law, and his person and property will
arms ought not to be confiscated; for every
rifle give him an OK of twice its value to till
need. The propriety of doing this cannot be
doubted; the beneficial results would be
readily seen. L renew the following sugges-
tion made in my former report:
II therefore suggest that the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs be authorized to adopt some
system of dsarming the Indians, and to that
end to purchase the arms of the Indians
be made, out OF which payment shall be made,
Indians holding tribal relations be prohibited
under severe penalties"
INDIAN EDUCATION.
The Secretary reports an increasing public
interest in this enterprise which has been
attended with very satisfactory results. On
this subject he says:
The appropriations last year for the educa-
ton of Indians were far below the actual
wants of the service; yet am able to report
great Improvement in the condition of the
Indian schools, an increased attendance of
pupils and an increased interest among the
Indians, both adults and youths. The depart
ment located an Indian school at Lawrence,
Kan, to be conducted on the plan of Carlisle,
Hampton and Forest Grove.
The capacity of the boarding-schools now
established, including Carlisle, Hampton and
Forest Grove is 5,O25, and of the day schools
1900, making the total 9,O25. The capacity of
boarding and day schools, old and new, is
about ll,OOO.
1t is recommended that one-half of the
children of school age be put into manual
labor schools and kept there until they are
inst Unf Tod IN Ind
to support themselves. 1t is urged that ac-
commodations be provided for at least TO-
manual-labor schools. Under the present APP
preparation only about one-fourth thus
up i'm Ignorance and vice. Pursuing this sub
5ect the Secretary says:
In my former report 1 endeavored to show
that such expense was within the true prin-
ciples of governmental economy, in the follow
ing manner:
The care, support, and education of 10000
Indian youths during the,year 1884 ought not to
exceed S25UO,UOO, and with the increased num-
Der of children there ought to be n reduction
in the cost, and the expense of 10000 children.
ought not to exceed S4.0O0000 per annum. To
the 10000, costing annually S4,000OOO, ought
each year to be added not less than one
fourth that number, which, at the same ex-
Pense per capita will necessitate an additional
appropriation Of Sl,OOO,OOO, and the account
will stand thus:
10000 children, fiscal year 1884, COM
putting the cost at $3.50 each. ... 5 100000
10000 children, fiscal year 1885, at $500
each -, .,........... 100000
25,OoO children, fiscal year 1883, at $500 O'OOO''O
each h.................. .......... 100000
The per capita allowance is greater than the
cost at the agency boardingschools, but these
schools are not kept up more than nine or ten
months, while this estimate is for the attend
ance for the full calendar year.
Since 1872. period of only ten years. the
cost of Indian hostilities and military protec-
tion against Indians is estimated by the mill
tary authorities at SOB sol ,2645O, or an annual
added the yearly appro opriatiOn for subsist-
ence, which averages about five millions
year. To this must also be added the loss of
life and the horrors of an Indian war; only to
be understood by those who have had the mis-
fortune to be participants in or witnesses of
them. This cannot be computed in dollars,
but ought to be considered i'm determining the
policy Of the Government in its dealings with
the Indians.
1 am confident that the expense per capita
as above given is greater than necessary, and
that If appropriations are made of the amount
as above proposed, the number of children
proposed to be kept in such manual-labOr
schools can be considerably increased. The
total expense of the Indian service cannot be
less than S5,5OO,0OO annually, and such expense
must increase instead of diminish If the In
dian is not made to do something towards
supporting himself. He will do but little if
he is left to himself, and If, forced by hunger,
he does become n laborer. he will be without
skill and only able to do mental labor requir-
ing neither skill nor intelligence His children
will become beggars and thieves, adding to
the expense of the country by increasing
pauperism and crime.
1t is urged that permanent fund for the
education of the Indians be created from the
net proceeds of the sale of public lands.
The subjects of Courts of Indian O1fenses,"
"Crimes," contingent Funds and kindred
topics are presented at length and in the
usual form.
The Secretary insists that the salaries of In
dian agents are grossly inadequate, and urges
an increase of such salaries sufficient to Sc
cure good men and retain them in the service.
INDIAN TITLES.
The fact that the tenure of most of the
tribes to their land is imperfect and unsats-
factory is referred to, and the Secretary
news the recommendation of last year, as fol-
lows:
To the end that the Indians may be secure
in their titles and have the assurance that
they viii not be removed, except by their free
consent, / recommend the passage of a law
to give each tribe q patent for the land the
Government has guaranteed to it, leaving the
Indiana to detnrnina the question of allnt-