The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-08-01
The Indian Question.

The entire policy of this govern
ment, from its inception up to to-day,
on the Indian question, has been
wrong. Wrong because II has been
neither strong, reasonable or honest.
Mr.. Cleveland seems TO be taking hold
OF IL with some vigor, but II remains
To he seen If his policy is to be reason
able in its application or entirely hon
est In the ends IL seeks. Start in with
the proposition that the Indian will
not work being savage all regular
sustained and systematic labor is not
only distasteful in the extreme, but
he is mentally and physically unfit TO
d. il, incapable, indeed. This propo-
sition being accepted-it must be ac-
c ,pted because it Is as true as holy
writ-then it follows that when the
government expects him to labor, to
earn his living or any part of ii, ut
regular employment in the fields or
workshops, as the white man does, 1t
is predicating its policy upon false
line, either false or dishonest. The
Indian wont work, because 1t is not
his nature TO do 80. AS well train the
tiger for the discharge of the dones-
tic duties of poor little Tabby, as well
expect shepherd duty from the Numi-
dian lion. If this is so, and who
shall deny It? then we may very well
arraign the reason, the strength and
I uUuvsry vi int gOv~-------.. L.. sa,,i,o
aside, for their occupancy, a vast ter.
ritory in the very heart of the nation
a vast expanse of the richest and mos
productive lands on earth. 1t is no
In the nature of things that, surround
ed on all sides, as the Indian
are, by energetic pushing and intelli
gent people who covet their ricl
lands, and seeing their listlessnes
aud inertness-that they will be lei
in peaceful possession for all time t
come. 1t is not in the nature o
things. II is Just as unreasonable an,
subversive of our doctrine of equal
ity as is the Mormon policy of tn
government. The laws, chances 70
life and for money getting, must b
made to bear equally and be di:
tributed to all classes of our either
ship with impartial hands. We car
: not in justice, continue the Indian j
all ofhis wild and savage meaness an
modes right in the heart OF the natio
0 and force other citizens to live by tn
y y sweat of their brows and obey 81
0 of formal laws enacted on the fall
0 theory that they are so constructed
Q to bear upon all alike and with utt,
impartiality.
Either one or the other of tw
l. things is true with regard to the |
: dian and his lands. Either we hay
l. no right to them or he has none.
: we have right pure and unimpeacl
able then it follows that he has mo-
10 whatever and could II OF acquire su
e by treaty. 1t would be very mo
strous to take from a man tire
. fourths of his lands and then for
Il HIM TO treat for the remainder Up,
what equal terms could that be do Il
Y And if not equal, If he is not free Al
untrammeled how can he convey
ne pure aud unimpeachable rigi
70 There is now a way
look at this matter which will JUST
us in holding these lands to the end
time. II is purely upon the groun
= ofihe public interest,th greatest go
to the greatest number. We could II
now go back TO where the evil CO.
meDced ami make restitution. v
, could not handle or so dispose of o
=, sixty millions of people us to do |,
" than an aw full evil to society, the ra
and the world-simply that less III
is half million of sayages might o,
70 aud control the whole land. IL won
be just as reasonable and as just (
them to do this as il IS for them
10 control the Indian Territory.
'e The only way we can settle the
u terminable difficulties growing out
the anomalous conditions prevailin
IN is to openthe territory to general S,
"a Element, giving the Indians the iii
: chance TO purchase, ut nominal pri'
M the lands they hold aud cultivate, b
giving the balance inpartially TO I
first conner who will pay the price p,
" scribed, aud who ia willing TO su
10 scribe in good faith to all the con,
u tions exacted from them. The neg
h. Is now thrown back upon perie
Ie equality with the whites. The neg
problem is thereby settled. Now
. settle the Indian problem the san
:, policy must be adopted by the go
eminent and ripilly adhered In rh