New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-29

END OF THE INDIAN AS an INDIAN
The Senate has passed the bill to give the In
dams lands in severalty, which once before
passed that body unanimously. 1t is hoped that
the bill will be- as Senator Dawes expressed it,
d" the beginning of the end of the Indian as an
Indian 1t provides for the allotment OF lands
to Indians in severalty, the purchase OF the re-
naming parts of their reservations by the Gov
eminent through the Secretary Of the Interior,
and the subsection of the Indians to the civil
and criminal law of the community in which
they live. This will be of vast benefit to the
Indians by tending to break up the tribal or
carnations, putting the Indians OH the road to
independence and making them responsible to
law at the same time that they receive its pro-
lection 1t will diminish the size OF the hu ge
reservations, for which the tribes have no use,
and of which they are certain to be deprived
| if not by some equitable process like this, then
| by the forcibe invasion of whites. One estl-
mate SAYS it will add 100000, 900 acres to the
public domain, and so open them to settlement.
These are the first steps toward making the
Indian citizen. 1t is point of great interest
to observe that measures like these, including
that of comforting the ballot upon him, are
urged by the men who are often called upon to
fight the Indians as well as by those who take
what might be called the sentimental view OF
the question. Colonel Dodge, whose book on the
Indians was the result of thirty years inter
course with them, strongly advocates lands in
severalty and citizenship. General Crook, the
brilliant Indian fighter. takes the same ground,
and takes it strongly. General Crooks last an
nual report, made some months ago, which has
| to1 oil 1aGprVa1 IVas
an epitome of the sOundost Indian policy. His
testimony as to the desire of the Indians to own
land is of value just now'
Recently It has the general wish Of all the tribes
among whom have been TO their land In sever
atty There among them constant feeling OF insecur
it's they have often been egsatsd or cked out Of their
reservations that they fear the same thing may again
cur should their land be coveted by white settlers AS
showing the strength Of this desire 70 own his land in
dlvduay, have been reliably Informed that Pedro the
chief of the White Mountain Apaches has rendered taxes
on the land he occupies, thinking that In some way tax
receipt might give him some title in law.
Contrary TO what may be the general IMPRESSION there
ia no people who have stronger affection for children than
the Indians and thought that troubles the Indian
most lie what is to become Of his family when he dies.
The N ain reason for the tribal relation OF Indians Is that
their families may be cared for and protected by the band
to which they belong after they dead Give the In
ing alienation as may be deemed advisable aud let him
feel that IL is his own and be taken from him He
then becomes only conservative for he has property
TO lose by misconduct but when he surrounds himself by
pigs and cows etc. finds that he has all he to
live upon lie then realizes that he Is independent AID
that his family h provided for Ia the Of his death,
aud there no further need of the tribal organization. 1t
VII In my Judgment disappear and not until then.
General Crook argued strongly for the
ballot
20 Ronn az the Indian gets his land in severalty he
shO ave the ballot. Nothing can be OF greater value
"a tls settlement Of the Indian question than COM
unlty of interests between the Indian and the white set
tlerin his vicinity and in other way this be easily
brought about as by making the Indian politically the
white mans equal He Is certainly the equal mentally OF
large class who now have the franchise, and with tho
right 10 vote no would find that the white
tiles living nearest him would take an Interest In his
GERMS No people or race live IN country deprived
Of full political powers without becoming and more
degraded Nor can such people be long imposed upon
or nistreated with the right 10 vote allowed them.
AS General Crook points out i'll his report, all
the conditions of the Indian question have
changed within few years Once we had IA
frontier, and then few suffered in Indian wars
but the troops. Now we have really no from
tier Regions formerly unnhabited swarm
with cattle and cattle raisers, and in all Indian
outbreak, lot only they but capitalists all over
the country suffer. Many interests demand Il