Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-26

hands. II requires no argument 10 con-
vince the thoughtful that body OF idle,
ignorant savages three hundred thousand
strong, with no abiding place among
this people, with no means Of
support at their own command
and with no ability or disposition
70 earn their own livelihood, Dred
n everything that is savage and cruel,
brooding over wrongs inflicted and hard
ships unjustly brought upon them, IS
dangerous element In society. They have
never known restraint, they are utterly
ignorant OF the laws which impose re-
straint upon them never possessing prop
erty OF their own, they know not what it
means 10 others. They are governed by
their necessities, and by power only when
IT shall be laid upon them.
AN ARMY or PAUPERs OR TRAMPs.
The Indian problem Of the day is no
light question to be solved of-hand or
cast one side as of no consequence. We
see frequently 10 the public prints and
hear in public discussions new solutions
Of the Indian problem, as 1t Is called,
taken up and disposed Of as II 1t were the
work of an hour, but TO those upon whom
the administration OF Indian affairs has
deyolved and whose duty II is TO provide
against the evil consequences likely to
follow q continuance OF the existing
condition OF affairs, II seems full, of diff
culties. To them there is no short way
out of the present condition of things, nor
are the methods OF treatment easy. This
alternative presents itself to them at
every step: An army OF paupers to be
supported In ignorance and idleness at an
enormous and ever-increasing expense TO
the nation, or an army of savage tramps
taking their own livelihood into their own
hands, knowing no law but that of might,
and held under no other restraint than
that the brutal instinct of fear imposes |
upon them, scattered throughout commu- |
Ditles unprotected from their lawlessness |
and constantly exposed to the outrages
which savage instinct shall suggest The |
statesman, the philanthropist and the |
Christian alike must feel that either alter
native is uncomfortable, and that no policy
of this government toward the Indians
which leaves them, as they are, certain to
become the one or the other of those dis
turbing and dangerous elements in So
ciety, can be maintained for moment.
What then is left TO be done with the
Indian in the future2 He Is certain to be
the beggar or the tramp II left to himself
He will not die. He will not starve. If
he remains an idle savage in our midst
we must feed him or he will feed himself.
The nation has been good while coming
to face this condition of things. 1t has
been unwilling to deal with the Indians on
any other theory than that they shall pass
away and cease to trouble us. They have
tried all other methods except the one
that admits the fact that the Indian is to
remain with US. Gradually, until lately,
but now very generally, the truth has
oeen forced upon the nation that it must
accept this among the problems OF our
government, that they are to have the In
dlan, as wen as the negro, part of our
permanent population We are forced to
with the Indian as well as the
negro, whether he shall remain distinct,
alien and barbarous race among our peo.
pie, refusing to assimilate, an lnsoluble
substance In the body polite, or whether
by some method he may not be made
part OF the people who are compelled to
live with him, bearing with them the bur-
dens and enjoying the immunities OF a
common government.
FORCED TO CIVILIzE THEeINDIAN.
Thus nave we been led step by step to
the policy which by a general concur
renee OF public opinion now prevails.
we have been forced TO the conclusion
that there is no other way open to us
than to attempt to make something
out Of the Indian. Having failed in ali
other meteods, 1t is little to our credit
that we are now trying this, the only one
leit TO us. The success of Capt. Pratt at
st. Augustine in controlling wild prison
ers OF war by teaching them how to work
has suggested to the government the
method now pursued. Capt. Pratt took
his Indians to the school at Hamilton.
ana by patient endeavor brought out of
Iwenty-three savage and brutal Indians
swenty-one well-equipped and intelligent
men now engaged in useful occupations
md discharging with credit to them
selves and benefit to their fellow-men
me duties and obligations of citizens. {
FROM THIS beginning has grown the pol
cy OF indian education and civilization ,
which has now enlisted the general sup. !,
bort OF the public and,the earnest COOP.
'ration OF the government. With it are q
'ther auxiliary methods, such as the allot- q
nent 10 Indians OF land in seyeralty, the c
Ilnullng In his breast of desire to {
'cquire and keep property of his own, |
lhu with 1t the disposition to keep also
ne peace with those around him. New '
Ways OF reaching him and winning him G
$50 Dhoaious NE are constantly \
'peblng, and the progress made in the b
YORK, which has many sides and many 2
'hases, but is generally described as The t
mort to make something out of the In Il
nan, IS most encouraging. a
RAPID GROWTH OF INDIAN scuoors Y
indian schools constitute the main n
eature OF this work 1t is but ten wears
ince the first general appropriation for d
hdian schools was made oy congress and Il
ne constant Increase In these appronri. h
lions is good measure Of the faith the q
overhment and those enlisted with il in I,
ms work have in its success. The frst
for this purpose in 1870 h
vas only $50 600. IN 1877 1t was $50. Don. e,
1873, $4,000, inlS79, $50, 600; in lsso
$4,000 In 1881, $4,000; in 1852, sI50., d
ooi IN 1883, aGSo,000; in 1884, s999 900.
$50, sl,l0I000. The schools them, N
elves have not only Increased in num- n
or, put they have in a much larger ratio n
lcreased in efficiency. Indian educat,on
lar better understood now than when j
was undertaken ten years ago. Nearly 2,
ne-hait OF oil the Indian children ~ Ii
ne school age have been brought tn NJ.
,hu more or less upon these schools. and h,
y adult Indians have also made great V,
HNa.a