St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-26
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
THE INDIAN POLICY.


| 10 secure such farms to them lnalienable
for specified time, prohibiting sale to the
| whites.
To educate the Indian children in our
common schools, with the white.
To franchise adult Indians. emitting
them to all the constitutional rights of
American citizens.
This policy seems short way of solving
the long, perpleXing Indian probmem.
There is a growing enthusiasm in it's favor,
more especially in localities where Indians
now are little known, as in the East. 1t is
also notable fact that land spectators in
the West emphasize the policy, pressing it
upon the special attention of the national
government. lnhamed to Jealous mania,
certain clergymen even declare that if the
Indians refuse to accept the ''new stu
alton" they must be compelled to it by force
OF arms if necessary. Despite the mercen-
airy purpose secretly evolving, there is
enough philanthropy in the movement to
| warrant the conclusion that the general
| welfare Of the Indians is actually sought.
We may therefore confidently hope and be-
| lieve that whatever measures prove abOrtive
to these ends will be early abandoned. The
public is in council over the question, and
| it becomes us all to move with cautions de-
liberation.
For several years I have lived in almost
daily association with the SiSSetOns, a branch
tribe Of
THE SIOUX NATION,
who are, as whole, reputed to be as we'll
civilized as any other tribe north of the In
dian territory. I have seen them in varied
aspects-in their churches. in their schools,
in their tepees and log tenements and on
their farms, and have made Indian charac
tori eli HOY. Of olxyfin CTR
may, therefore. be able to judge somewhat
as to the practicability of the policy.
Like all other clans and tribes in their
time they entertain strong utilization for
their kindred and race. When separated
from each other they are lonely, and then
seem to be diSarmed of what ability they
possess to engage IN responsible undertak-
ings for the whites. They work best in
groups. When associated together they
evince contentment and pleasure, happy
then even in their poverty. The bracing
magnetism of fellow feeling and depend
ence obviously can not be fostered in social
isolation as in severalty. 1t may be claimed
that the immediate breaking down of this
clannish relation is essential to individuali-
zation of character. But what if this ex-
pertinent be tried when they are utterly I'M
able to endure it and live? We might meas
urably hope for success here, if their near
neighbors, the whites, would fill the gap.
While the Indians, with few exceptions, are
suspicious of the whites, standing aloof, the
whites in turn repel them socially. No
civil law can change the psychic repulsiOn
of races.
Aside from these solid asperities the ques-
ton arises. are the Indians qualified and
ready to maintain themselves in severalty,
will fhn NJ Nf fIn o,,f
educating them direct by judicious and en-
lightened instructors appointed for the pur-
pose? Poor Lo"-poor indeed-just
emerging out of savageism, has scarcely any
business calculation; mathematics are al
| most incomprehensible to him. He still re-
tains the traditional notion that labor is I'M
dignifed-'' work" He is stoical in
opinions, unlearned, unskilled, incapable of
competing with the whites in
TRADE OR ENTERPRISE,
and yet it is proposed at this stage of his
development to endow him with the high
responsibilities and emoluments Of citizen
ship under the protecting (?) wing of his
white neighbor! There are Indians here as
elsewhere who are sufficiently enlightened
and industrious to try the experiment with
| the chances in their favor; but the rule is
the other way. Severalty and citizenship.
| financially speaking, might be relief to
the government. but for years upon years
to come there would thus be entailed upon
white committees the social gangrene of a
| widespread insufferable pauperism to sup
| port. Ought we, in justice to ourselves or
| the Indians, to absolve, as whole, their
! word-allegiance to the government, drive
them into severalty, presuming their native
| incapacity will thus suddenly expand into
,olf Tos,
| acres exempt from all encroachment for
limited time would not bar out chattel
! mortgages and the customary cheats of men
who do not scruple to skin the very eye
teeth of an Indian.
Nor is it. as rule, safe to welcome an
Indian into severalty because he is willing.
Such trust must hinge upon qualification.
But few months ago traditional class of
our Indians, who are idle, lazy and filthy,
being gulled by some intermeddling white,
| sent a petition to President Cleveland.
praying to be set off into severalty among
the whites. They doubtless believed this
arrangement would secure them pauper's
support. The more enlightened and trust
worthy on the reservation had nothing to
| do with this impracticable scheme. Better
than any of his predecessors, our president
| obviously comprehends the Indian situation,
| and suggests a remedial policy worthy of
| the special attention of congress and the
| people at large. He would have an Indian
commission, consisting of six capable men,
three of them military officers whose duty
it shall be to supervise over all the Indian
tribes Of the country; to determine where
and when reservation shall be lessened in
size or several such merged into one; what
tribes shall be dissolved; what shall be
| communistic in
LAND POSSESSION;
what set aside into severalty for individual
farming and citizenship. They are to re-
construct and renovate the entire Indian
system, virtually instituting civil service
process of evolution, classification of our
Indian wards according to the merit of a
progressive qualification, preparing the way
for individual support and citizenship.
If this policy be put into practice, it will
evolve the endowment among them of in
dustrial institutions. Generally Indians
make poor farmers. Naturally observa-
tional and initiative, they are, with few ex
ceptiens, better fitted for mechanical pur-
SUITS for police service, for military respon-
sibility. We should adapt the new disci-
pline to individual taste and genius, the
same as with the whites. Thus far the
force we expend upon Indians education
ally is but lily served. The brightest sons
| and daughters of Indian families, here and
elsewhere who return from their schools
abroad, do at first appear well, being clean.
neatly dressed and intelligent. but what
white family takes them in? What bust
ness firm employs them? Nobody! They
go to their former homes. and it is not six
weeks before they are just as indolent and
filthy as their domestic exemplars, often
sinking even lower than ever into beastly
habits. 1t is utter folly and inevitable de-
moralization to pursue this course any
longer.