The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-07
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MalSIlulS, anu lilt ldlltI subject Is
ed to the Congress for its action in the inter
est of economy to the government and. hui
manity fairness and justice to our people.
THE INDIAN QUESTION.
The report of the Secretary of the Interior
| presents a comprehensive sum mary of the
work of the various branches of the public
service connected with his department, and
| the suggestions and recommendations which
it contains for the improvement of the ser
| vice should receive your careful considera-
ton The exhibit made Of the condition of
| our Indian population and the progress of
the work for their enlightenment, notwith-
| standing the many embarrassments which
hinder the better administration Of this inn
portant branch Of the service, is gratifying
and hopeful one The funds appropriated
for the Indian service for the fiscal year just
passed, with the available income from In
dian land and trust moneys, amounting in all
TO $3.50, 775.12, were ample for the service
! uhuer tne conditions and restriction OF laws
| regulating their expenditure. There re-
manned balance on hand on June 30, 1856,
| OF Sl,66O, $50, of which $780, 1921 are
| permanent funds, for fnlhllment of treaties
and other like purposes and the remainder,
S52z 255O59 Is subject to be carried to the
surplus fund as required by law. The es-
Inmates presented for appropriations for the
| ensuing fiscal year amount to So, COS, 873,64, or
| S442, 1856 20 less than those laid before the
| Congress last year. The present system of
agencies, while absolutely necessary and
well adapted for the management of our In
ulan aiIairs, ana Tor the ends in view, when
II was adopted, is, in the present stage of
indian management, inadequate, standing
alone Tor the accomplishment of an object
| whlch has become pressing in its impor-
tance.the more rapid transition from tribal
| organizations to citizenship of such portions
OF the Indians as are capable of civilized life,
| Wnen the existing system was adopted, the
| Indian race was outside of the limits of or
! t sa states and Territories, and beyond
| tne immediate reach and operation of ciyiliz-
atlon; and all efforts were mainly di-
Tected to the maintenance of friendly re-
latlonS ana the preservation of peace and
| quiet on the frontier All this is now chang
ca. There is no such thing as the Indian
| frontier civilization, while the busy hum of
industry and the influences of Christianity
surrounds these people at every point None
| OF the tribes are outside of the bounds of or
canned government and society, except that
the territorial system has been extended over
| that portion Of the country known as the In
| dlan Territory. AS a race the Indians are
no longer hostile, but may be considered as
submissive to the control of the government.
Few OF them only are troublesome Except
| the fragments of several bands, all are now
gathered upon reservations. 1t is no longer
| possible Tor them to subsist by the chase and
| the spontaneous productions of the earth.
| with an abundance of land, if furnished
| with the means and implements for profita-
| Die husbandry, their life of entire depend
ence upon government rations from day to
| day is no longer defensibe. Their inclina-
| ton, long fostered by defective system of
control, is to cling to the habits and customs
OF their ancestors and struggle with persist
enee against the change of life which their
altered circumstances press upon them. But
barbarlsm and civilization cannot live to-
| gether. 1t is impossible that such incongruous
conditions should co-exist on the same soil
| ihey are portion OF our people, are under
the authority OF our government, and have a
| peculiar claim upon and are entitled to the
fostering care and protection of the nation.
The government cannot relieve itself of this
responsibility until they are so far trained
| and civilized as to be able wholly to manage
and care for themselves. The paths in
which they should walk must be clearly
| marked out for them, and they must be led
| or guided until they are familiar with the
way and competent to assume the duties and
responsibilities Of our citizenship. Progress
| in this great work will continue only at the
| present slow pace and great expense unless
| the system and methods of management
are improved to meet the changed condition
ana urgent demands of the service. The
| agents having general charge and supervi-
sion IN many cases of more than 5000 In
| diana, scattered over large reservations and
| burdened with the details of accountability
for funds and supplies, have time to look
| after the industrial training and improve
| ment OF few Indians only. The many are
neglected and remain idle-dependent con-
ditions not favorable for progress in civil
lzatlon. Inc compensation allowed these
| agents and the conditions of the service are
not calculated to secure the workmen who
are ntted by ability and skill to properly
plan and intelligently direct the methods
best adapted to produce the most speedy re-
suits and benefits. Hence the necessity for
supplemental agency or system directed to
the end Of promoting the general and rap i'd
transition of the tribes from habits and GUS
Toms OF barbarism to tie ways of civilization.
with an anxious desire to devise some plan
n m hx xxhi 80 Al,
OF the Indians and to relieve the treasury as
lar as possible from the support of an idle
and dependent population l recommended
In my previous annual message the passage
Oh law authorizing the appointment of
commission as an instrumentality auxiliary
to those already established for the care of
the Indians. 1t was designed that this COM
mission should be composed of six in selli-
gent and capable persons, three to be detail
ed from the army, having practical ideas up-
on the subject of the treatment of Indians
and interested in their welfare, and that it
should be charged, under the direction of the
Secretary OF the Interior, with the manage
ment of such matters of detail as cannot
with the present organization be properly
and successfully conducted, and which pre-
sent different phases, as the Indians them
selves differ in their progress, needs, dis
position and capacity for improvement or
Immediate self-support By the aid of such
commission much unwiSe and useless ex-
pendlture OF money, waste of materials and
unayailing efforts might be avoided and it
is hoped that this or some measure which
the wisdom of Congress may better. devise to
supply the deficiency Of the present syste m
may receive your consideration and the APP
propriate legislation be provided. The time
IS ripe Tor the work of such an agency. There
is less opposition to the education and train
Ing OF the Indian youth, as is shown by the in
creased attendance upon the schools, and there
Is yielding tendency for the individual hold
ing OF land Development and advancement
In these directions are essential and should
nave every encouragement. As the rising
generation are taught the language of civil
ization and trained in habits of industry,
they should assume the duties, privileges
and resp0n sibillties of citizenship. No OBJ
stacle sh0nld hinder the location and settle
ment OF any Indian willing to take land in
severalty; on the contrary, the inclination to
do so should be stimulated at all times when
proper and expedient But there is no au-
thority. Of law for making allotments on
some OF the reservations, and ON others the
all0tments provided for are so small that the
Indians, though ready and desiring to settle
down, are not willing to accept such small
areas when their reservations contain ample
lands to afford them homesteads of sufficient
size to meet their present and future needs.
These inequalities of existing special laws
and treaties should be corrected and some
general legislation on the subject should be
provided, so that the more progressive men,
bers OF the different tribes may be settled
ufoh uOHColCduo anu Ny JfltlI tAdllDlc ledU
Others to follow, breaking away from tribal
customs and substituting therefor the love of
home, the interest of the family and the rule
of the State. The Indian character and ma
ture are such that they are not easily led
while brooding over unadjusted wrongs.
This is especially so regarding their lands
and matters arising from the construction
and operation of railroads across some of
the reservations, and claims of title Of occu-
pancy set up by white persons to some of the
best land within the reservation require leg
islation for their final adjustment The
settlement of these matters viii remove
many embarrassments to progress in the
work of leading the Indians to the adoption
CT our institutions and bringing them under
the operation, influence and the protection
of the universal laws of our country.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The recommendations Of the Secretary of
the Interior and the Commissioner of the |
General Land Office looking to the better |
protection of public lands and of the public |
surveys, the preservation of the national |
forests. the adjudication of grants to States |
and corporations, and Of private land |
claims and the increased efficiency of the |
public land service, are commended to the |
attention of Congress. To secure the widest |
distribution o. public lands in limited guam |
titles among settlers for residence and cult |
walton, and thus make the greatest number |
Of individual homes, was the primary OBJ