National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-10-28
ruERED-sKrNNED BROTHER.

Annual Report OF Indian Commissioner Price
Condition Of the Aboriginal Population
Progress Made During single Ycar-A
Hopeful Outlook.
Hiram Price commissioner OF indian affairs,
has Just made his annual report to the secre-
thry OF the Interior Of the operations OF that
bureau during the fiscal year ended juno 80,
1881. The commissioner prefaoos the report
with IA statement that ut will show that
along the pathway of progress In the last
twelve months some dark spots have been
removed and some bright spots made brighter.
more Indians are living In houses and lower
III tepees than there were one year ago, More
are cultivating the soil and fewer following
the chase than when made my last annual
report. There are more in the carpenter,
blacksmith, and other mechanical shops try
ing to earn an honest living, aud fewer at the
war dance scalp dance, and sun dance than
IN october, 1855 There are also several nun
dred more Indian children in Industrial agri-
cultural, and mechanical schools fitting then.
| selves TO become useful, intelligent citizens,
IMAM there were twelve months since.
touching the cost of the Indian service, the
| commissioner says "The Indians actually get
OF the money belonging to tho government to
iced and Clotho them only about 81 per
nnnum per capita, or q fraction less than
cents day for each Indian"
The commissioner dwClls at length upon the
necessity for passing the Indian appropriation
| Dill early in tho congressional session, and
'says; !" The newspapers of tho country have
| been full of complaints for months past be-
cause certain Indians at the extreme northern
agencies were suffering for food, and by infer.
| enco the cause of this suffering was attrlbuta
bic 70 neglect on the part of this Office. while,
on the contrary, the suffering of these Indian.
Tor lack of food was attributable directly end
entirely, first, to the fact that the appropfia.
lions for them were not made until three
months after they should have been made
ana second, that when made the amount al
lowed wasless than was asked for by this Of
| nee, and consequently insufficient for the alb
| sollte wants of these Indians"
I Considerable space In the report is devoted
70 statement Of the pressing necessity for
law providing for the punishment of crimes
ana oflcnscs among Indians themselves, and III
connection with this subject the commissioner
calls attention to the Importance of establish
ing United States court in the Indian terri
Tory, in accordance with treaty stipulntons
Inc reports OF the agency physicians show
total of I3,lS2 cases treated during the year
OF this number 6S,06s recovered, 1856 died
and 2,62S were still under treatment on June 80
a large portion of the report is devoted to
discussion OF tho attempted settlements bl
White men In the Indian territory, and TN
commissioner says: recommendations have
repeatedly been made for an amendment o
existing laws relating to trcspasscrs on IndiaI
lands, so as to make such oilenses punishable
by Imprisonment as well as by fine. Measure
looking to that end have been introduced IL
congress, but hitherto have invariably failet
TO receive the concurrent action Of both houses