The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-09-07
THE INDIAN COMMISSION

Senator Vest, of Missouri, who accom-.
panied President Arthur on the Park trip
and who, with Delegate Maginnis constitutes
| special committee TO examine into the In.
dian question, the status of reservations and
the condition Of Indian affairs generally in
this Territory, is now In Helena, and In re-
Spouse to q sersnade few evenings since
expressed himself very plainly IN that issue.
He believes the present system bad and con-
ours with the President and General Sheri-
dan In the view that the transfer of In
dian affairs TO the control of the War De-
partment Is not advisable. That we believe
is true NOR. A few, In fact many, years ago,
when large sections of the west were not ap-
proachable by rail, when many of the Indian
tribes, with their inherent savagery aroused
aud aggravated by treaties they misunder-
stood and robberies they could see, were q
the frontier, 1t would have been wise TO give
the army charge Of them. AS the army had
TO subjugate them when in arms, it was in
terested in maintaining peace, for history
has proved there is much hardship aud no
glory for soldier In Indian wars. Now,
conditions have changed very materially.
The railroads have settled the Indian ques-
ton by building up strong communities, by
afording facilities for the movement of
troops and supplies, aud by over-awing the
savage tribes. Except in the extreme south
west there is no probability of there ever oc-
curing another serious Indian war. The
number of military posts and the strength of
garrisons are being diminished and TO give
the War Department charge of the Indians
il becoming an impracticable plan. Beside,
We believe the civil ADMINISTRATION of the In
dams Is hcnester aud better In all respects
now than 1t was few years ago. There Is
still however serious problem TO be solved
In relation 10 the Indians. The large game
and fish or which the wild Indians of this
continent have subslsted is practically de-
stroyed. The reservations, however extern
sive, are not adequate TO subsist and entice
the buffalo which is disappearing more rap
idly than the Indians, aud the fish are being
largely taken by white men with appliances
rapidly destroying them. 1t has always
been theoretically accepted on this CONT
nent, however practically ignored, that the
Indians were original owners of the soil
and entitled to recompense for lands taken
from them. The right OF conquest has not
been held TO run against Indian tribes.
The people Of the United States by legis-
lation and ample appropriations, however
the latter may have been squandered, have
treated The Indians of America with mere
justice and generosity than any other nation
ever treated subjugated savages and with
parental indulgence greater than 1t has ex-
tended to Its own citizens. Now that the
tribes are dying out and the encroachments
of civilization demand still more of their
reservations the country will not seek TO
divest itself of guardianship or be less liberal
In It's support. But the question Is how
this shall be done TO best contribute 20
the welfare of the Indians. The idea has
been gaining strength for years, and it is
now becoming possibility, to break up the
tribal relations and by the conveyance Of
say 100 acres of land to each head of an In
dian family, and smaller allotments to other
individual members, and encouragement In
pastoral and agricultural pursuits, to break
up their nomadic habits and induce Industry,
self-reliaHce and respect for law. In this
plan Senator Vest Is believer. For the re-
naming lands of their reservations he
would issue interest bearing government
bonds and pay them the interest.
There Is no doubt, whatever, that this IL
the best possible solution of the question.
IL Is not so certain they can be made to see
1t. General Sheridan Is an earnest advocate
OF the method, and 1t Is stated the Presi- |
dents trip through Wyoming, the compost
tion Of the company, and the exclusion of |
press reporters, were parts Of well matured |
plan to present this question to the Shoshone
and Snake Indians, which was done at Fort |
Washable August Sth. II does not appear
to have met with much favor, but 10 takes |
Indians q long time to consider q PROPOSE |
tlon of such character, and It may bear good |
fruit hereafter. Generations will come and |
90 before the plan Is universally accepted, |
and the majority Of the older ones win prob |
ably never be reconciled to any but the old |
method Of life. IL will be by educating the |
younger people and aiding the older ones
who are well disposed TO it, that the Indians |
win be led gradually into industrial pur-
suits and civilized methods. AT present the
nomadIc Indians are estimated, in round !
NUMBER, at 100000, and they occupy As res |
eryations 100000 square miles OF territory.
With the game dispersed or gone, the lives
Of these nomads are becoming worse. They
hang around the agencies, depending almost
entirely upon the government for subsistence
and at the same time the reservations are /
kept intact for them. They are getting
lazier and more depraved, and it IL an act OF
humanity, as we'll - political economy, TO
secure, II possible, the speedy adoption Of
this new policy. Believing IL ID the best
method for all concerned, the press Of the
West should advocate and aid The plan and
The efforts OF The commission u secure ieeis-
Iation looking TO lis accomplishment.
w 10 not see the name of Hon. Proctor
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