The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-14
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Proposal to Greatly Change
the Indian Policy.
- --
The Steamer ssPowhattan" in q Gale
Preparation Of Plans for the

WASHINGTON. November 1O.-The Presi.
dent rave audience to-day to the COM
mittee appointed at the recent conference
at Lake MOhunk to present to him the re-
suit Of their deliberations on the Indian
question. General Fisk headed the delega-
ton and presented the members to the
President. Hon. Erastus Brooks, OF New
York, read the address, ~embodying the
views OF the conference as to the best
method OF improving the condition OF the
Indians. Remarks were also made by Rev.
Lyman Abbott, NJ. e. Gates and General
Fisk, each OF whom advocated the aboli.
ton of the present system Of indian reser-
yations and favored the adoption OF a pol
icy in regard to them similar to that go
successfully employed in the case OF the
colored population. The President listened
attentively to the speakers and assured
them OF the deep interest he had IN the In
dian question. He reviewed Drlety tne
many difficulties encountered IN dealing
with the question, which he
was u most important one, and said that
the great trouble to his mind was as to
THE FIRST PRACTICAL STEP
to be taken in improving the condition OF
the Indians. Shall we give tnem more
schools and churches and agricultural i'm.
Elements for use on their reservations or
shall we deed them and in severalty and
leave them to their own resOurcesY One
trouble he found was to get rid OF the in
fuences Of the old chie,s. Then again, II we
leave the Indians to themselves and one
becomes hungry, a loud cry gees up all over
the country, that we are starving the In.
dams. How are we to get the Indians to
mingle with the whites? We certainly can
not drive them of their reservations. Is 1t
l.<ko. 4 - lao~ than, vpHor fOfoIQ 90 where
thew are, or could their civilization be
better accomplished in some other way!
1.-THE question Is surrounded with diff
~culties. continued the President, land the
most important consideration to my mind
at present ia what is the most useful thing
to be done?'" He said that while 1t might
not be well for the cause to
DISTURB THE INDIANS
in their present homes, he believed that the
reservations would ultimately be given to
them in severalty and the Indians thrown
on their own resources. The PRESIDENT re-
minded the Committee that the course
which they advocated would require years
to consummate, but intimated that ne
hoped to be able to make q beginning in the
/. right direction during the remaining years
Of his administration.
THE CONVENTION.
Additional information has been received
to-day by the Secretary OF State from the
United States Minister at Paris, to the Ell
feet that the Monetary convention between
the Latin Powers, providing for the sus-
pension OF the coinage Of silver, permits
each Power to resume; provided. the silver
circulating in other States is redeemed In
gold by the resuming State. 1t also gives
TO these States the right to exclude the
silver coin Of the resuming State.
so nATr
Bardslee, commanding the "Powhattan,"
has telegraphed the Secretary OF the Navy
from Colon that his vessel has been cOnsid-
erably, but not seriously, damaged in a
gale" He will probably be ordered to take
her to Key West for repairs, as he suggests.
since the repairing cannot be done at Colon
without great expense n difficulty.
TROOPS AFTER INDIANS.
The agreement providing Tor the recipro-
cal crossing OF the International boundary
line by troops of the United States aud
Mexico in pursuit of hostile Indians has
been extended until November 1, 1886.
Owing to the iaes sass i A. ,,...,,. .,
Secretary Lamar was desired at tie CaDl:
net meeting to-day, the hearing in the tele-
phone case was postponed until tomorrow.
CRUISERS IN CONTEMPLATION.
The Bureau of Steam Engineering and
Construction and Repair are preparing
plans for the new cruisers authorized by
Congress last winter. When completed the
plans will probably be referred to the spec
ial board of naval officers. OF which Com
modore Walker is the President, appointed
to consider the plans for these vessels.
GOOD SUGGESTION.
A suggestion has been made to the
~oco,<s - NJ Vornop .hv unroo 90 Smith
OF San Barbara, CAL, that groves of trees
be planted on the estate OF these planta-
tions, to be made up of plants character
istic of the regions they are sent from. This
natural park would be creative OF q special
and growing interest. The estate requires
that u Typographical survey be made de-
leniating not only the varied surface Of the
ground, and it's buildings, but also indicat-
ing every natural feature, inclusive of trees
now standing. Doubtless. many classes of
students in civil engineering will compete
for the honor Of camping there next sum-
mer from June 18th to August 18th to COM
plete this necessary wOrk without cost to
the association.
ENGLISH CALLERs
Among the callers on the President yes
terday were a party Of English tourists who
arrived here from San Francisco. They are
about finishing a years tour around the
world. They were very much pleased with
what they saw at the White House, and
particularly with the entire absence Of form:
atty. One Of them said they had
called during their tour on the rulers of
t~wenty-one countries, or Powers, but that
on no previous occasion had their visit
been a pleasure on account OF the numerous
tirescme formalities they were required to
go through before they had accomplished
anything.
THE INDIANS FRIENDS.
The Mohawk Indian Conference Commit
tee, after leaving the White House, pro.
ceeded to the Interior Department, where
they had a long interview with Secretary
Lamar, and through their Chairman pre-
scented to him a written statement of the
views of the conference. In reply to q
brief address by General Fisk, Secretary
Lamar said he would in his Forthcoming
annual report acknowledge the aid of the
Philanthropic and Benevolent Association
and individuals in the work he had to carry
on. His ultimate object was the ~civiliza-
ton of the Indian. A crisis had been
reached in the history Of that interesting
race which must be met by some methods
different from those heretofore pursued.
His own knowledge OF the Indians wants
were as yet too limited to permit linn to
formulate a general policy adapted to the
present n future exigencies. The process
must be one OF improving the Indian out of
his present condition into civilization, and
it would be a gradual process. The first
point should be tt secure their reservations
to them (either as now located or com
pressed into smaller space) in fee simple, so
that their title shall be inviolable. At the
same time he did not advocate the division
OF the entire reservation among the Ind
ians, and believed that the abandonment
OF the reservation system. ut this time
would be premature. 1t was the end to be
sought. but the first step would be, after
bringing the Indians with their consent into
IL limit proportionate with their numbers,
to protect them from
THE DESTRUCTIVE
OF the stronger civilization surrounding
them. The whites should be rigor.
ously excluded, and when the reservations
nave been partially subdivided a consider.
able portion ought to be left undivided and
undistributed. In this transition state the
tribal system must be adhered to. 1t was
the normal condition OF the Indian, and to
take him out of it would be to change his
social condition before he was..itted for
n higher civilization. He was impressed