The Portland daily press., 1885-10-10
THE INDIAN QUESTION
The Platform Adopted by the Mo-
hawk Conference.

LAKE MOHAWK, n. Y, Oct. 9.-At the Mohawk
conference today, Dr.. Rhodes reported a platform
announcing that it received the unanimous ap-
prOval of the committee OF nine. representatives
of the various views which have found expression
during the conference. Among other things II
asserts the Indian question can never be settled
except on the principles OF justice ana equal
rights and In its settlement al tne properly 5gts
all obligations should be faithfully fulfilled Keep
ing this steadily in view the object OF all legisa-
tive and executive action hereafter should be not
isolation of the Indians, but the abrogation OF the
Indian reservations as rapidly as possible and
the permitted diffusion of indians among the peo,
pie in order that they may become acquainted
with civilized habits and modes of life.
Discontinuance of annuities so promotiye OF
idleness and pauperiSm.
United States and of the States and Territories,
and their protection by the same laws as those by
which citizens are protected.
Opening of all the territories of the United
States to them possible by acquisition, and early
admission of the Indians to American citizenship.
These objects should be pursued Immediately,
vigorously and continuously.
The measures recommended for their accom-
plishment are the following:
The present system of Indian education should
be enlarged and a comprehensive plan adopted
which shall place Indian children in the schools
under compulsion If necessary, and shall provide
Industrial education for large proportion OF
them.
The adult Indians should be brought under
preparation for Self-SuppOrt. and TO this end the
free ration system should be discontinued as rap
idly as possible and suficient number of farmers
and other industrial teachers should be provided
and in the meantime teach them to earn their own
living.
Immediate measures should be taken to break
up the system of holding all lands in common, and
each Indian family should receive patent for a
portion of land, to be held in sever llty, its amount
to be dependent upon the number OF members OF
the family and character OF the land, whether
adapted for cultivation or for grazing, and this
land should be inalienable for 20 years.
~. The Coke bill as em6odying this principle ]. has
ed upon all the friends of the Indians as the one
practicable measure for the securing OF these
ends.
All portions of the Indian reservations which
are not allotted should, after the Indians have
selected and secured their lands, be purchased by
the government at a fair rate, and thrown open to
settlement, and the cash value OF the lands thus
purchased should be set aside By, the government
as funds to be expended for their benefit.
Indians belonging to tribes which give up the
reservations and accept alotments of land in sew
crafty, and all Indians who abandon tribal organi-
cations and adopt the habits and modes of civiliZ
ed life 81 oud be at admitted to citizenship OF
the United States and become subject to and enti-
tied to the protection uf the laws of the United
States and OF the States and Territories where
they may reside.
During this process of civilization some repre-
Sentatives of the United States government
should be charged with the protection and nstruc-
tion Of the Indians, but all such officers should be
withdrawn as soon as the Indians are capable OF
self-support and self-protection.
The removal OF tribes of Indians from their es-
tablished homes and massing them together in
one or more territories is opposed as Injurious
ton.
Dr. Lyman Abbott, who opened the discussion,
spoke of the evil of the reservation system as
blocking all civilization, and urged its speedy abo
tlon He also condemned the present treaty sys-
TEN between the government and the Indians.
John H. Obery, superintendent of Indian
schools under Secretary Lamar, made an address
on the management of Indian educational affairs
under the present administration. He promised
important changes in the present system in the
near future, by which Indian education would be
separated from politics. He condemned the pres
ont wet af "a 1Sf nf fnN
books to be found in the Indian schools Is quar-
ter of mile long, and embraces the works Of
every Republican school book published in the
country He favored teaching the Indians farm
ing and cattle raising.
The platform was adopted, as were also resolu-
tions ON the death OF Helen Hunt Jackson.