The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-12-10
&. t1ABER

has been made 10 the civilization of
the Indian, thiuk, will disclose the
fact that the beginning has been in
religious teaching, followed by an ac-
companying secular education. While
the self.sacrificing aud honest men
and women who have aided in this
good work by their honest endeav-
ors, have their reward In the benen-
cent results of their labor aud the
consciousness of christian duty well
performed, their valuable services
should be fully acknowledged by all
who, under the law, are charged
with the control aud manage
nient of our Indian wards.
What has been SAID, indicates that,
In the present condition of the Iu-
dians. no attempt should be made to
apply fixed and unyielding plan of
action to their varied and varying
circumstaDc es. The Indian bureau,
burdened as il is with treir general
oversight and with the details of the
establishment, can hardly possess
itself of minute particulars, needing
treatment, and thus the propriety of
creating an fundamentally auxialiary
to those already established for the
caro- oil the Indians, suggests itself.
recommend the passage OF law,
authorizing the appointment of six
commissioners, three of whom shall
be detailed from the army, to be
charged with the duty of a careful in-
spection, from time to time, of all the
Indians upon our reservations or sub
ject to the care aud control of the
lT n m IN nt - "A
Ing their exact condition and needs,
aud determining what steps shall be
taken on the part of the government
to improve their situation in the di-
reetion of their self support and COM
plete civilization; that they may es-
certain from such inspection, what il
any Of the reservations may be re-
duced in area aud in such cases. wha,
part not needed Tor Indian occupation
may be purchased by the
government from the Indians
and disposed of Tor their benefit
what If any Indians may, with theii
consent be removed.to other reserya.
tions with view of selling their
abandoned reservations; what Indian
lands, now held in common, should
be allotted severally; In what manner
and to what extent the Indians upon
reservations can be placed under the
| protection of our laws and subjected
to their penalties, and which, ii any
Indians should be invested with the
right of citizenship. The powers AMI
functions Of the commissioners in re,
gard to this subject, should be clearl,
defined, though they should, in ron
Junction with the secretary of the in
terror, be given all authority to dea
definitely with the questions presente,
as far as deemed safe aud consistent
They should also be charged with tn,
duty OF ascertaining what Indian
might properly be furnished with i'm
plements of agriculture, and of wha
kind; in what cases the support ofth
government should be withdraw
where the present plan of distributip
Indian supplies shou d be change,
where schools may be cstablis he,
and where discontinued; the condue
methods aud fitness of agents /
charge of reservations; the extent
which such reservations are occupie
or intruded upon by unauthorize
persons, and, generally, oil matte
related to the welfare aud improy
ment of the Indian. They should a,
wise with the secretary of the interi,
, concerning these matters of detail
, management, and should be Civ,
power to deal with them fully fifth,
are not invested with such row,
: THIS plan contemplates the selecti,
q of persons for commissioners who a
. interested in the Indian question. Al
r who have practical ideas on the an
. ject of their treatment.
e THE INDIAN QUESTION.
1.-The expense of the Indian hurs
9 during the last fiscal year wa ~
!, 100000 Cd. believe much of 4
y expenditure may be saved, under
l. plan proposed; that its economi
Q effects would BIO increased with
= continuance. that the safety of ,
, frontier settlers would be subser,
h under its operation, aud that