The Daily Tombstone., 1885-11-21

question He reviewed, briefly, the many difficulties encountered in deul- ing with the question, which he ac- knowiedged was 8 most important one, and said that the great trouble. to his mind. was as to the first urac ticAl step to Le taken ;n improving the condition oi the Indian. Shall we" he said, "S;rt theIn I1o~6 schools and churchs and agricultural implements for use on their resefya;.ons, or sha T. We deed them lands in severaity and leave them to their own resOurces?" One trouble he found was to get rid of the influences 0f the old chiefs Then again. he added, If We leave the Indians to themselves and one be- comes hungry, a loud cry goes up al! over the country, that we are starving the Indians. How are we to get the Indians to mingle with the whites? We certainly can't drive them off their resertations' Ia it better to keep them under tutelagS where they are or could thcir civilization be better accomplished in some other way?"
 "The question Is surrounded with difficulties continued the President and the most important considera- ton to my mind at present is, what is the most useful thing to be done now?' "
 He said that while it might not be well for the cause to disturb the In dians in their present homes, he be- lieyed that the reservations would ulti- matcly be given to them in severalty, and the Indians thrown on their own resources.
 The President reminded ths com mittee that the cause which they ad- vocsted would require years to con summate, but intima;ed that he hoped to be able to make beginning in the right direction during the remaining years of his administration.
 SECRETARY LAMAR's POLICY.
 The members of the conference proceeded to the Interior Depart ment after leaving the President, and had long interview with Secretary Lamar. Gen. Fisk made a brief ad- dress, and Secretary Lamar said that he would acknowledge in lis annual report his obligations to these associa- tions in the work he had to carry on. A crisis had been reached in the his tory of the Indians, he said, which must be met with different methods from those hitherto pursued. The process mus be of improving the In- dian out of his present condition into civilization by gradual process, and in doing the first point was to secure their reservations. At the same time he did not advocate the division of the entire reservation among the Indians, and believed the abandonment of the reservation system at this time would be premature. It was the end to be sought, but the first step should be after bringing the Indians, with their consent, into limits proportionate to their numbers, to protect them from the destructive influences of the stronger civilization surrounding them. Whites should be vigorously excluded, and when the reservations had been partially subdivided, a considerable portion ought to be left undivided and undlstrlbuted. In the transition state the tribal system must be adhered to; i; 1t was the normal condition of the race, and to take the Indian out of it would be to change his social condi- ton before he was fitted for higher civilization.
 The Secretary was impressed with the belief that the Christian religion was the instrumentality for the eieva- tion of the race. He knew that from his own experience in the south and his knowledge of the tribes in the In- dian Territory. The Indian could not stand being thrown out unprotected into the civilization of this country. It would be almost as bad as exter-