Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-04
our RED MEN.
Annual Report OF Indian Commission
er Atkins-Suggesti0n Relative to
the Coffee Coolers

l
Annual Report OF Indian Commission
| ef Atkins-Suggestf0ns Relative TO
the Coffee Coolers
Washington. Dec. 2-Gen. j. d. g.
Atkins, commissioner of Indian affairs,
has submitted to the secretary OF the
interior his annual report for the fiscal
year ended June 30, 1885. The COM
missioner prefaces his report with the
statement that:"It requires no seer to
forteil, or forgee the civilization of the
Indian race as q result naturally deduci-
BILE from knowledge and practice upon
their part of the art of agriculture, for
the history of agriculture among all
people, and in oil countries, intimately
connects it with the highest intellectual
and moral development of man." He
continues: "The increased interest in
agriculture manifested since the
opening of last spring, and the prepara-
ton OF several reservations for still in
creased acreage in farming are among
the hopeful signs OF Indian progress and
development. This brings me directly
ito the consideration of the practical pol
Icy which, believe, should be adopted
by congress and the government in the
be lndustriously and gravely impressed
upon them that they must abandon
their tribal relations and take lands in
seyeralty, as the cornerstone of their
| complete success in agriculture, which
means self support, personal independ-
ence and material thrift. The govern
ment should, however, in order to pro-
tect them, retain the right to their land
IN trust for twenty-five years or longer,
but issue trust patents at once to such
Indians as have taken individual hold
ings. When Indians have taken
their lands in severalty IN sufficient
quantities (and the number of acres in
each holding may and should vary in
different localities, according to fertility,
prodnctiveness climate and ether ad-
yantages), then having due regard to
the immediate and future early needs to
the Indians, The remaining lands of
their reservations should be purchased
| by the government and opened TO home
stead entry at fifty or seventy five cents
per acre. Ihe money paid by the gov
ernment for their lands should be in
trust in five per cent bonds, to be in
vested as congress may provide, for the
education, civilization and material de-
yelopment and advance the red race, re.
4 1ShS wig 'OA CuSi tiloc Ill LIS cWD lu0uGY.
Ii this policy were adopted systematic-
ally by the government, it would be
| strange If, in five years from this inaup-
uration and establishment, there should
be an Indian Of any tribe in the whole
country who would refuse to accept SO
favorable and advantageous measure
Every step taken, every move made,
every suggestion offered, everything
done with reference to the Indians,
should be done with view to impress
lug upon them that this is the policy
which has been permanently decided up
on by the government in reference to
their government. They mnat abandon
tribal relations. They must give up
their superstitions. They must forsake
their savage habits, and learn the arts
of civilization. They must learn to
labor and must learn 10 rear their fami.
lies as white people do, and TO know
more of their obligations to the govern
ment and society. In word. they must
learn to work for a living, and they must
understand that it is their duty to send
their children to school. When the
farm and school have become familiar in
stitutions among the Indians, and a
reasonable time has intervened for the
transition from barbarism, or q semi-civ-
| iiiHSo ftatt, W one VI Clf1liHAJlOD, Gl6n
will the Indian be prepared to take up
on himgelf the higher and more respon-
sible duties and privileges which an
pertain to American citizenship. There
are in the United States, exclusive OF
Alaska, 100000 Indians, fully half of
whom have as yet declined to commit
themselves to the life of farmer. Ex-
elusive of the lands cultivated blythe
civilized tribes. the number of acres in
cultivation by Indians during the year
s24S. 24l, an increase of 1S,473
since lac. years figures"
Referring to the Indian outbreaks in
the southwest, the commissioner says:
at has been deemed advisable to place
all the Apaches temporarily under
charge of the ar department., that de.
partment to have full authority neces-
sary for their management. This Office
heartily sympatizes with the effort OF
the war department to control the Chi
racahuas. and L trust that the military
will be able to capture the murderous
band now skulking in the Sierra Madre
mountains, and to bring them to condign
punishment"