The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-12-03
THE REDS.
Commissioner Adkins Wants
Them Civilized,
He SUBMITS A FEASIBLE PLAN.
AppOintments-Th War-Rar-
lIamentary Elections.
To CiviIize the Reds.

WASHINGTON. December 2.-General
J. d. G. Adkins, Commissioner of Indian
Affairs, has submitted to the Secretary
of the Interior his annual report for
the fiscal year ended June 3Oth, 1885.
The Commissioner prefaces his report
with the statement that sit requires no
seer to foretell or foresee the civilization
of the Indian race, as a result naturally
deducible from the knowledge and
practice upon their part of the art OF
agriculture, for the history of agricul-
ture, among all people and in all
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 preparation on several
reservations for a still increased acreage
in the farming area are among the hope
full signs of Indian progress and develop
ment. This brings me directly to the
consideration of the practical policy,
which, 1 believe, should be adopted
by Congress and the government in
the management of the Indians. 1t
should be iEdustriously and gravely
impressed upon them that they must
abandon their tribal relations and take
lands in severalty, as the corner stone
OF their complete success in agriculture,
which means se!f-support, personal in
dependence. and material thrift. Gov
eminent should, however, in order to
protect them, retain the right to their
land in trust for twenty-five wears
longer, but issue trust patents at once
to such Indians as have taken indivi-
dual holdings, when the Indians have
taken their lands in severalty, in suf- |
hcient quantities and number of acres |
In each holding. They NAV and should |
vary In different localities, according to !
fertility, productiveneSs, climatic and
other advantages. Then, having a due
regard for the immediate and future
early needs of the Indians, the remaining
lands of their reservations should be
purchased by the government and
opened TO homestead entry at 80 or rs
cents per acre. The money paid by
government for their lands should be
held in trust in 6-per-cent. bonds, to be
invested as Congress may provide, or
the education, civilization and material
development and advance OF the red
race, reserving for each tribe its own
money If this policy were adopted
Systematically by the government, it
would be strange If, in five years from
its Inauguration and establishment,
here should be any Indian of any tribe
N the whole country who would refuse
20 accept so favorable and advantageous
measure. Every step taken, every ,
move made, every suggestion offered, j
done with reference to the
indians should be with view to i'm
PRESSING upon them that in the policy
which has been permanently decided
lpon by the government in reference
o their government, they must aban- ]
lon their tribal relations, they must S
i've up their superstitiOns, they must +
orsake their savage habits and learn }
he arts of civilization; they must learn
o labor and must learn to rear their p
antilles as white people do and must :
now more of their obligations to the t
overnment and society. In a word, .
hey must learn to work for a living. 4
nd they must understand that it is =
heir duty to send their children to
chool. When the farm and school
aye become familiar institutions
mong the Indians, and a rea-
enable time has interviewed for
he transition from barbarism, s
II semi-ciViliZed state to one of civil 4
.ation, then will the Indian be pre- =
AIRED to take upon himself the higher .
nd more responsible duties and priv
eyes which appertain to American
There are in the United States. ex- !
usive of Alaska, 260, 900 Indians, fully .
ne-half of whom have. as yet, declined =
} commit themselves to the life of the
lrmer. Exclusive of the lands cul-
waited by the FIVE civilized tribes, the
lumber of acres in cultivation by In
IanS during the year was 24S, 24I, CT
4 increase of 1S.473 over last years 81
cures. Referring to the Indian out 5,
reaks in the southwest, the commits
oner says; at has been deemed adyis- g,
Die to place all the Apaehes temporar- 5.
Y under the charge OF the War De T
that department to have full n
lthority necessary for their manage il
ent. This Office heartily sympathises
it'll the efforts of the War Department
control the Chiricahuas, and L trust
le military will be able to capture the
urderous band now skulking in the u
ezra Madre Mountains, and bring -
lem to condign punishment"
N
OF