The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-12-17

1 ed II vi liOuhlcIs OINItLLbiOu. Wlbu OLD
busy hum of industry and the influence of
Christianity, surrounds these people at every
point. None OF the tribes are outside the bounds
of organized government snd society, except
that the territorial system has not been extended
over that portion OF the country known as the
Indian Territory. As q race the Indians are
NO LoNGER HOSTILE,
but may be considered as submissive to- the con-
troll of the government, as few of them only are
troublesome. Except the fragments Of several
| bands all are now gathered upon reservations.
by the chase and the spontaneous production Of
the earth. With an abundance OF land, III fur
nisbed with the means and implements for
profitable husbandry. their life OF entire depend
ence upon government rations from day TO day
is no longer defensible. Their inclination. long
fostered by a defective system Of control. is to
cling TO the habits and customs Of their ances-
tors and struggle with persistence against the
change of life which their altered circumstances
press upon them. But barbarism and c~iviliza-
tion cannot 1--we together. 1t IL impossible that
such incongruous conditions should coexist on
the same soil. They are a portion OF our people,
are under the authority OF our government, and
have a peculiar claim and are entitled TO the
fostering care and protection OF the nation. The
government cannot relieve itself of this respoSi-
bility until they are so far trained and, civilized
as to he able wholly to manage and care for
themselves. The paths sn 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 viii
continue only az the present slow pace and at
great expense, unless the system and methods
of management are improved to meet the
changed conditions and urgent demands of the
service. The agents having general charge and
supervision In many cases OF more than 5000
Indians. scattered over large reservations, and
burdened with the details of accountability for
funds and supplies, have time to look after the
industrial training and improvements OF a few
Indians only. The many are negl eted, and re-
main idle and Experimentation not favor
able for the progress OF civilization. The COM
pensation allowed these agents and the condi-
tions Of the service are not calculated to secure
for the work men who are fitted by ability and
skill to properly plan and intelligently direct the
methods best adopted TO produce the most
speedy results and permanent benefits. Hence
the necessity for a supplemental agency or sys-
tenn directed to the end OF promoting the general
and more rapid transition OF tribes from the
habits and customs Of barbarism to the ways OF
civilization. With an anxious desire to devise
some plan Of operation by which to secure the
welfare OF the Indians and to relieve the treas
ury as far as possible from the support of an
idle, dependent population, / in
my previous annual message the passage of q
law authorizing the
APPOINTMENT OF A COMMISSION
as an instrumentality auxiliary to those already
established for the care OF the Indians. " was
designed that this commission should be COM
posed of six intelligent and capable persons,
three to be detailed from the army, having prac-
tical ideas upon 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 management
of such matters of detail as cannot with the
present organization be properly and success
fully conducted, and which present different
phases, as the Indians themselves differ in their
progress, needs, disposition and capacity for
Improvement or immediate self-support. By
the aid OF such a commission mach unwise and
useless expenditure OF money, waste OF materi-
ais and unavailing efforts might be avoided, and
1t is hoped that this, or some measure which
the wisdom OF congress may better devise 70
supply the deficiency of the present system, may
receive your consideration and the appropriate
legislation be provided. The time is ripe for
the work of such an agency. There is less oppo-
sition TO the education and training of the
Indian yonth as shown by the increased attend
ance upon the schools, and there is q Welding
tendency for the individual holding Of lands.
Development and advancement in these direc-
lions are essential, and should have every en-
taught the language of civalization and trained
In habits OF industry, they should as
sumo the duties, privileges and responsibilities
OF citizenship, and no obstacles should hinder
the loca lion and settlement OF any Indian will
ing to take land in seyeralty. On the contrary,
the inclination to do so should be stimulated at
all times when proper and expedient: But there
is no authority of law for making allOtments on
some Of the reservations and on others the allot-
ments provided for are so small that 1he 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 or sufficient size to meet their pres
emit and future needs. These inequalities OF ex-
listing special laws and treaties should be COR
rected and some general legislation on the sub
ject snoul6 be provided so that the more pro-
gressive ml mbers OF The different tribes may he
settled upon homesteads, and by their example
learn others TO follow, breaking way from tribal
customs and substituting therefor love OF home,
interest Of the family and rule of the state. The
Indian character and nature are such that they
are not easily led while brooding over unad-
justed wrongs. This is especially SO regarding
their lands. Matters arising from the con-
struction and operation OF railroads across some
OF the reservations and claims of title and right
OF occupancy set up by white persons TO some OF
the best land within other reservations, require
LEGISLATION for their final adjustment. The set
Element OF these matters Will remove many en-
barrassments to progress in the work OF leading
tn Indians to the adoption OF our institutions
and bringing them under the operation, the in
fiuence 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 AEds and of the public surveys. the
preservation of the national forests, the adjudi-
cation 81 grants to states and corporations and
OF private land claim and the increased cfi-
cheney OF the public land service, are commended
to the attention OF CONGRESS. To secure the widest
distribution of public lands in limited quanti-
ties among settlers Of residence and cultivation
and thus make the greatest number of indiyid-
ual homes, was the primary object Of the pub
lie land legislation in the early days Of the re-
public. This system was a simple one. It COM
menced with an admirable scheme Of public
land survey by which the humblest citizen
could identify the tract upon which he wished
to establish his home. The price of lands was
placed within. the reach Of all the enterprising,
industrious and honest pioneer citizens of the
country. It was soon, however, found that the
object OF the laws was perverted under the sys-
tenn of cash sales from a distribution Of land
among the people to an accumulation Of land
capital by wealthy and speculative persons.
To check this tendency q preference right OF
purchase was given to settlers on the land, a
plan which eliminated in the general pre-emp-
tion act OF 1S41. The foundation OF this system
was actual residence and cultivation. TWENTY