The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-04

1t has been the great object of the Depart
ment in dealing with the Indian to make him
self-supporting. When an Indian youth has
been taught to labor he is self-supporting, if
an opportunity is presented TO him to secure
employment. One great difficulty met with
is, that when the young of both sexes return
TO the agency there is no remuneratiYe EN-
ployment for them. They lack capital to
open and cultivate a farm, and if they have
acquired trade, they find no employment
of that character. 1t is as necessary that
some employment should be secured for
them MS it is TO teach them to labor. An In
dian educated at Government expense should
not be allowed ratiOns but should receive en-
, couragement to labor by donations of stock,
implements of agriculture, ETC., and then be
compelled to take care of himself.
MANUAL-LABoR SCHOOLS FOR CHILDREN.
The greatest agency for the civilization of
the Indian is the manual-labor school. In
deed, / do not think / shall be far out of the
way if l say the only agency for that purpose
2 is the manual-labor school. In former re-
siderable length. While the argument is by
no means exhausted it does not seem profit
able to discuss question now admitted by
all fair-minded men to have passed beyond
the domain of speculation or doubt. The his
tory of a few manual-labOr schools estab-
HShed for the education of Indian children
has demonstrated their great value, and that
1T is only necessary to multiply their number,
so as to include all the Indian children of
school age, to forever set at rest the question
of what shall be done with the Indiansg'
An honest compliance on the part of the
Government with the conditions of the treat
les with the various tribes concerning
schools will substantially provide all the
schools required for the education of all the
children of school age whose attendance we
can hope to secure. The amount due under
the various treaties to the several tribes
berein named, gave last year as amounting
to the total sum of $3,759,4O0. The
amount. now due after deducting
all appropriations for school purposes
is s., G3, 200. This money is now due. A large
mart of the money agreed fO ha maid NVtS
in consideration of land ceded to the Gov
eminent by the Indians. 1t is not gratuity
but a debt due the Indians, incurred by the
Government on its own motion, and not at
the request of the Indians. 1t is true that
the debt is due to dependent and weak peO-
pie who have but little dispersion to complain
Of the neglect of the Government to fulfill its
=. obligation and are wanting in ability to COM
' 'el the performance thereof; yet their weak
ness and lack of disposition to complain
ought to stimulate the Government to sa-
Credly perform all the provisions of treaties
providing for the education and advance
gard for our plighted faith demands this, but
our interest also demands it.
In my last annual report called attention
to the various treatit providing for the edu-
cation of Indian children. / submitted a
statement for the sum required to fulfill
such treaties. 1t appears that there was due
at the close of the fiscal year 1884 the sum of
s, as, 400. l again submit the statement
showing the amOut due at the close of the
fiscal year 1885. Statements showing amounts
which should have been appropriated up to
visions of the treaties of various Indian
tribes.