The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-11-04

badly by broken spectacles.
James Phillips, brakeman, cut badly
about the head.
No passengers in any Of the Eleepers
were killed.
Indian Affairs.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 The Commits
sioner OF I1dian affairs. ). D. G. Atkins,
hiss Just completed his annual report
bureau for the fiscal year. He begins
by calling attention to the unmistakable
evidences Of progress made by many Of
the tribes, aud says the excellent temper,
ssbordinAtlon and general tranquility,
which, with two or three exceptions, has
everywhere prevailed, is of itself most
auspIcious omen of progress. Many
facts establish the claim that during the
past year the Indian race has taken q
firmer step IN the march toward ciVibzA-
ton than ever before in the same length
OF time. Tue estimates for carrying
on Indian service have been reduced
from 81 1928 $40 in 1856, and bat for an
increase of Sl77, 800 in estimate for exc
cutional work the reduction would have
been greater. Considerable space is de-
voted TO q discusSi on of the condition
and future Of the five civilized tribes OF
the IGdian Territory. Referring to the
attempts of boomers TO encroach upon
their reservation, the commissioner says:
sit is not reasonable to expect that the
government will never tire Of menAciHg
It's own people with its own army, there
fore it becomes vastly important
that these five civilized tribes should
CO. operate with the government in es-
tablishing peace and quiet within their
borders. After speaking of the failure
of these Indians to sympAthiZe with the
government in its eff rts 90 promote the
making of allOtmenls of land, Commits
sioner Atkins says that it would be best
for the Indians TO divide their lands in
seVerElty, GtlottiDG 160 acres to each
head OF family, and eighty acres 70
each minor child. The land surplus re-
manning should be sold to actual settlers
at a just price, and the proceeds would
enable the poorer Indians to improve
sllosments, put uD school buildings, etc.
Says tie commissioner tLet these In
dams once assume all the responsibilities
of citizens OF the United States, with the
laws extended as protecting
egis over them, and the day
of their fear and apprehension of
numbering whites Will be forever ended
the surplus land in the Indian Territory
and says were all the indians of the
United States to be UproOted and trSDe-
planted 10 that territory there would
then be, including those now resident
there 25634 acres fer each living Indian.
He sngSesLs that the K;Owa's, Com
manche's, Wichits's, Cheyenne's and
ArapAhOe's, the only Ind;ansin the ter
rit ~, west OF longitude 50, be removed
lands east Of that line. He expresses
| his conviction that the proposition to
throw open Oklahoma to white
| settlement would be an experiment
| dangerous TO all concerned. It Is there
| fore recommended as preliminary step
that congress authorize the department
| 20 appoint q commission who shall visit
| the Cheyennes and ArApAhOes, the
Wichita's and Kiawas, Comanches and
| Apaches, in the Indian Territory to as
Ger ain their views with reference to the
subject OF removal to lands in said terri
tory east OF ninety eighth degree. The
! report says that the immediate necessity
for the establishment Of United States
district court within the heart Of the ter
riiory OF the five civil zed nations, say
Muskogee or Fort Gibson, no
longer admits of doubt
| The necessity for legislation by
congress upon the question Of leasing
| IGdian lands ia aleo & subject OF remark.
The com missioner refers to his instruc-
tons to agents looking to the teaching
OF Indians how 10 farm and says he i1-
| teuds TO sec 20 it that they are fully car.
/ risd out. the success or uon-success OF
| the Indian farming experiments he says
| IL Will require some years to demonstrate.
| The commissioner, in treating of Indian
| schools, speaks OF tie diff SuItY eXper
fenced in freeing the children from adj
verse home influences and after some
discussion OF the matter, says: sat
this SINE, however, would
not advise diminution Of ma
| terial aid and support to any
of the different kinds Of schools now fos-
/ tered by the government" All are doing
excellent and efficient work In their par
! ,icular spheres. It suggests that an In
| dian graduate who Innrries an Iodian
| graduate be assisted in purchasing Q
| team, settling on 160 acres of land, fenc-
ing breaking and building house, and
that IL he takes up land outside OF any
indian reservation he shall be made 8
CT; zsn of the United States. Under the
head of agency employees, the commits
| sioner says the public has long had the
idea that corruption prevailed in the en-
| agencies, that many agents, having
power 10 employ or dismiss their
assistants had surrounded themselves
| with such material as they could COM
! pietely control through fear of dischaIg &c
or By colluSion with them in dishonest
| practices. That this condition Of sffeirE
rendered fraud easy and its detection by
| ths inspectors and specisl agents of this
| Office was almost impossible, and that
thus the Cover nent and the Indians
We're plundered with jmpunity.
l determined TO make such G
| change es would effectually re-
move all just causes for doubt
| as TO the honesty and integrity OF the
service IN this particular. Indian SCENTS
AMI school superintendents were there
fore notified that the office would select
| and appoint sill clerks as well a. phYsi-
clans 8nd additional farmers. l am
| pleased 70 be able to report that most Of
! the agents cordially support this move
| The ruling that agency clerks shall be
selected by the Ind an Office Is Q wise
one and has already been found
| TO tend directly and plainly
| to the improvement of service.
OF the necessity for an appropriation
to defrSy the expenses OF taking q GEN.
sus of the Indians the commissioner
says: II do dot doubt that an accurate
census would show q decrease in the
number OF Indians throughout the
ranches" The nut lay Of taking the
With the great saving IL would probably
| effect; the saving in two instances, Chey.
| enne and ArapehOe and the Pine RidGC
viii amount TO large sum annually.
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