Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-01
The Indian Question.

SN
of Commissioner Price: A decided
advance has been made i'll the march
of Improvements among the Indian
tribes, particularly in the matter of in
dustriaL school education. Some
tribes have been persuaded to send
their children to school, that have
heretofore resisted all effort to induce
them to do so. The question may
now be considered settled beyond CON
troversy, that the Indian must now be
taught to work for his own support
and to speak the English language or
give place to a people who do. Among
the things needed TO secure success in
effectually solving the Indian prob
lem are:
First-An appropriation to
survey out the boundary
of the Indian reservation, so both the
Indians and white men may know
where they have rights and where
they have none.
Second-A law for the punishment
of persons who furnish arms or
ammunition to Indians. No such law
now exists.
Third-More liberal appropriations
for Indian police.
Fourth-An appropriation sufficient
TO defray the expense of detecting and
prosecuting peesOns who furnish in
toxicating liquors TO Indians No
ardent spirits should be introduced
into the Indian country under any
pretence whatever, nor their sale per
mitted within twenty miles of the In
dian reservation, but under existing
laws on the subject it a notorious
fact that ale, beer and preparations of
alcoholic stimulants disguised as med
icines are sold at military posts to sol
diers and civilians, and although
post traders are not permitted to sell
Ii directly to the Indians yet it is an
easy matter for the Indians to obtain
it from the soldiers and civilians to
whom it is furnished. The punish
ment imposed by law for this Offense
should be made more severe. The
practice Of approving of contracts to
collect from the government money
due to the Indians is one that ought
not to exist. 1t has for years
been the practice to approve contracts
by which outside parties have taken
from the Indians hundreds of thous-
ands of dollars for service which ought
not to have cost the Indians one cent.
During the last four years agreements
have been entered into between the
Indians and different attorneys by
which these attorneys We're to receive
from the Indians $755, 221 for collect
ing from the government money said
10 no ToT 4 &C. hO l,,+r
Of the government to see that
the wards of the nation re
ceive what is justly due them
free of cost, and equally the duty of
the government to see that no unjust
claim is paid. Congress should con
fer both civil and criminal jurisdic-
ton on the several states and terri
tories over all the Indian reservations
within their respective limits, and
make the person and property of the
Indian amenable to the laws Of the
state or territory in which he may re-
side, except in cases where
such property is expressly
exempted by a treaty or act of con
gress, and give him all the rights in
court enjoyed by other persons. AL
OF ments i'll severalty to the number
of 146 have been made to the Indians
during the year with the best results,
and the commissioner will adhere to
the policy of alloting lands where the
same can be legally done, and the
condition of the Indians is such as to
warrant it. The attention of congress
is again invited to the necessity of
legislation to enable the Indians to
make entries under the homestead
law without cost to them.
1t is necessary that the
lands within certain ~eserva ions
be subdivided and 1t is important in
some cases that this be done at once,
yet there is not dollar available for
this purpose.
An amendment to the law in refer
ence to the intruders so as to punish
by imprisonmenta as we'll as by fine, is
absolutely necessary. An intruder
without property has very little fear
of fire Notwithstanding his repeated
expulsion from the Indian territory.
Recommendations for legislation for
the protection Of the timber on Indian
lands are renewed. During the year
there was paid to the Indians in cash
rs annuity and otherwise $745, 00O
Less than 5000, 900 of this amount was
for the payment of annuities proper,
many of which will expire in the
near future by the limitation in the
various treaties. The increase in ac-
commodationsf for Indian pupils which
school appropriations for the last
fiscal year have made possible, has
been followed by a corresponding
increase in the attendance of
pupils exclusive of fine civilized
tribes The number enrolled at the
boarding school during the year just
closed is ), 143, an increase of 654 over
last year The attendance on day
schools has been 5,014, an increase OF
74S over the preceding year Of the
5,143 boarding pupils, 4, 1896 attended
schools ON the reservations or in their
immediate vicinity Boarding and
day schools on reservations have