The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-24
THE NATIONS WARDS.
Secretary Lamar Shows That the Red Man
Can Not Charge upon the Country q
"Century of Dishonor"-His Plans.


"Century of Dishonor"-His Plans
Secretary Lamar estimates that the
Indian service has cost the Government
an average of $3.50, 629 per year from
the year 1882 to the present time. 1t
now costs S6,000,0O per annum. All
the expenditure of money, effort and
organization is for the control, protec-
/ ton and management of a population
| of PC, 900 men, women and children.
! He says:
Whatever may be said about the
injustice and cruelty with which the
! Indians have been treated in the past,
! characterized by some as century
I of dishonor," the Government is now,
rs all must admit, putting itself to
! great trouble and expense for very
small and inutile population. The
question arises: What is the purpose
sought to be accomplished? Is it to
| protect this country against the Indian
as 4 menace TO the security and peace
of our people. Nothing could be more
! absurd. The Indian race is no longer
. source of danger to the peace or Sc
curity of this great Republic. Most of
! the reservations are encircled by pow
! erful communities, and those upon the
| frontier are completely in the hands of
eur military forces. Nor is the Indian
any longer an obstacle to our National
| progress or to our material develop
ment. So far as the interests of our
own people are concerned, apart from
the needs of the Indian population, the
! Indian problem could be easily solved
! by simply Withdrawing all Government
supervision over these people and con-
! ferring upon them the rights of American
citizenship. Those who would not pass
away would be soon absorbed into
American society. After incorporating
into our body polite four millions of
blacks in state of slavery and invest
ing them with citizenship and suffrage
we need not strain at the gnat of 260,
900 Indians. 1t would only be an add
ditiOnal mOrsel, and 4 very small one.
Such course, however, would be more
cruel and destructive to the Indian in
the helpless condition to which the eX-
tension of settlements will soon reduce
him than war of determination.
at is not, therefore, to protect the
peace of the country, or the security of
its frontiers from the danger of Indian
war, or on account of their hindrance
to our material progress, that all these
efforts and expenditures are MADE in
their behalf. 1t is because this Gov
eminent is bound by Guty, humanity,
religion, good faith and National honor
to protect. at whatever of expense or
sacrifice, these original pOssessors of
the soil from the destruction with
which they are threatened by the very
agencies that make our prosperity and
greatness. The sense of this obligation
was profoundly felt by the founders of
our Republic. They not only recOg-
niZed it as the rule of their own con-
duct, but they wrote it down in their
statutes and ordinances for the guild
ance of their posterity. The ordinance
of 1887 (article 81 contains the follow
ing language:
"'RaligiOn, morality and knowledge being
necessary to good government and the happi-
ness o. mankind. schools and the means OF
education shall forever be encouraged. The
utmost good faith shall always he observed
toward the Indians: their lands and property
shall never be taken from them without their
consent: and in their property rights and lid
erty they never shall be invaded or disturbed
unless in just and lawful wars authorized by
Congress-. but laws founded in justice and
humanity shall from time to time be made for
preventing wrongs being done IT, them and
for preserving peace and friendship with
them.
1.-The principles embodied in these
noble utterances constitute the funda-
mental principles of genuine Indian
policy. Assuming, then. that the ciYiliza-
ton, the moral, intellectual, social and
industrial elevation of the Indian to
fit him to take part in the civilization
CT the country and the age, is the COM
mon object of all, the question arises:
What means should be adopted to ac-
compliSh this? l have not been long
enough in this Office to become
so thoroughly acquainted with the
characteristics, customs, habits and
wants of the Indians as to feel myself
competent to propose any general plan
or policy which in all respects will be
adapted to the conditions of the pres
ent and adequate to the probable ext
gencieG of the future. There are, how
ever, some measures which | think are
necessary to lay solid foundation for
Indian civilization, and to avert the de-
moralizatiOn and destruction of these
people. which the environment of the
white race now threatens. | recon-
mend that a portion of every reserva-
ton be divided up into separate tracts
of suitable size for farms, to be allotted
to each individual as his sole and sepa-
rate estate. Provision should be made
against the power (until after a time
limited) of selling or mortgaging the
same. or even leasing it to any but In
dians living within the same reServa-
ton. Without legislation of this kind
all efforts to make the Indian support
himself by his own labor will prove
fruitless and unavailing. To over
come his natural aversion to labor
there must be the incentive given alone
by sure guarantee that the fruits of
his labor shall be enjoyed in security.
No man will clear forests, inclOse fields
and cultivate them, and rear houses
and barns when at any moment he may
be removed and carried off against his
will to some distant and unknown re-
gion. The ownership of land, free
holding, tends to inspire individual in
dependence, pride of character, per-
sonal industry and the development of
the domestic virtues. Provision should
be made that the Indian accepting
patent for his land shall not thereby
forfeit any of his rights As member of
his tribe. nor the protection and benefit
which the laws of the United States eX-
tend to the Indians generally.
Il favor the policy recommended by
my predecessor in this Office, Secretary
Kirkwood, of reducing to proper size
the existing reservations, when entirely
out of proportion to the number of In
Al a, Of fhn