The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-11-04
THE INDIANS.

Annual Report OF Commissioner Atkins
Ills Ideas to What should be Done
with the Red Man.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30.-The Commits
siOner of Indian Affairs, j. ID. c. Atkins,
has just completed his annual report. He
begins by calling attention to the unmis-
taxable evidences of progress made by
mauy of the tribes. and says: "The excel
lent temper. SubOrdinatiOn and general
tranquility which, with two or three excep-
tons have everywhere prevailed are of
themselves a most suspicious omen of
progress. Many facts fully establish the
CAIN that during the past year the Indian
race has taken firmer step in the march
toward civilization than ever before in the
same length of time. The estimates for
carrying on the Indian service have been
reduced from S7,52S, G39 in 1856, to S5,GOS.-
S73 for 1887, and but for an increase OF
S177,5 in the estimate for educational
work, the reduction would have been even
greater"
Considerable space is devoted to a dis
cussion of the condition and future of the
five civilized tribes in the Indian Territory.
Referring TO the attempts of boomers to
encrOach upon their reservation The Com
missioner says: ut is not reasonable to
expect that the Government will never tire
or menacing its own people with its own
army. Therefore. it becomes vastly i'm
portant that these five civilized tribes
should cooperate with the Government in
establishing peace and quiet within their
borders"
After speaking of the failure of the H.
dams 10 SympathiZe with the Government;
in its effort to promote the taking up OF
aF ln,,I A 81,
says that it would be best for the Indians
TO divide their lands in severalty, allotting
100 acres TO each head of a family, and 50
acres TO each minor child. The large sur
plus remaining should be sold to actual
settlers at just price, and the proceeds
would enable the poorer Indians to improve
their alOtments, put Up school build
ingS etc. Says the Commissioner: Let
these indians once assume all the RESPONSE
biities OF citizens of the United States.
with its laws extended as a protecting ;egiS
over them, and the day OF their fear and
apprehensiOnS OF maTaudug visitors will be
forever ended"
The Commissioner dweIls at length upon
the.surp!us land in the Indian Territory,
and says: "Were all the Indians in the
United States 10 be uprOoted and trans
planted to that Territory there would then
be, including those now residing there 25624
acres for each living Indian" He sag
geSts that the .KiOwaS, Comanches, Wien
itas, CheyenneS and Arapahoes, the only
Indians in the Territory west of longitude
9S. be removed to lands east of that line.
The Commissioner expresses his convic-
ton that the proposition to throw open Ok
lahOma to white settlement would be an
experiment dangerous to all concerned.
1t is therefore recommended as prelim
mary step that Congress authorize the
department TO appoint a commission who
shall visit the Cheyennes and Arapahoes
the Wichitas and kiowas. COmanches
and Apaches in the Indian Territory
TO ascertain their views with reference
To the subject of removal to lands in the
Territory east of 9S degrees. The report
says that the immediate necessity for the
establishment OF a United States district
court within the heart of the territory of the
five civilized Nations no longer admits of
doubt.