The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-11
THE HOUSE.
Routine Business-Brief Debate on the Indian
Appropriation Bill.

Routine Busins ss-Brief Debate on the Indian
Appropriation Bill
WASHINGTON, March 10.-Mr. Herbert, OF
Alabama from the committee on naval affairs,
reported the bill to increase the naval establish
ment. Referred to the committe of the whole.
Mr.. Henley, of California. from the committee
State of California per cent. of the net pro-
ceeds of the sale of public lands in that State.
Referred to the committee Of the whole.
Mr.. Pulitzer, of New York. from the COM
mittee on civil-service reform reported adversely
the Seney bill to repeal the civil-service Law.
Mr.. Stone, of Missouri, asked that the bill be
placed upon the calendar, and that he have leave
to file minority report It was so ordered.
Mr.. Rogers, of Arkansas, from the committee
on Pacific railroads, reported bill requiring the
Northern Pacific Railroad Company to pay the
cost of surveying its lines. Placed on the
House calendar.
In tho morning hour, Mr.. Morrill,, of Kansas,
on behalf of the committee on inviid pensions,
called up tho bill repeating the limitation on the
time within which the pension claims of militia
men, who were disabled when acting under
orders of United States officer must be fled
Mr.. Rogers, of Arkansas Mr.. Reagan, of Texas,
and Mr.. Mcmillan of Tennessee, opposed the
bill.
ton, the House went into committee OF the
whole-Mr Townshend, of Illinois, in the chair
--on the Indian appropriation bill
Mr. Holman, of Indiana. opposed the system
of establishing day schools for Indian children.
Mr.. Perkins, of Kansas, said the Indian indus
trial schools had accomplished marvels in the
education of Indian children
Mr.. Cutcheon, of Michigan, said the Indians
should be taught the gospel of self support
Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois, said that Congress
I'D g. H. L-.- ~
Indians than the common laborer could earn in
New York or Chicago. He wished that the In
dians were being civilized but the fact was that
they were being pauperized for, under the pres
ent policy. when the government took from the
Indian his wild nature, it took from him
pauper of him. If gentlemen thought
that the educational system which
had been established had affected in the least
the moral tone of the Indians, they were very
much mistaken. The Indian did not want to be
educated; education was not fashionable with
him His remedy was to modify the treaties,
SO as to grant land in severalty to the Indians
and open the remainder of the reservations to set
Element He would make the Indians land in
alienable for certain length of time and would
protect them in their property. In his opinion,
the man who still favored this reservation sys-
tenn was rendering the future of the Indian GER
tan-certain destruction He then went on to
criticse the President for a failure to obey the
dcCS oI CONGRESS authorizing uIu 10 appoint a
commission to negotiate for the opening up of
the Oklahoma land strip. The Presidents at
tention he said, had been called time and again
to this law, and time and again he had refused
to take action. He had sent the army
to put the poor squatter out OF Okla
homa, but he had allowed the cattle
kings to hold seven million acres which the law
said he should have tried to open to settlement
The executive that has the courage to put the
squatters out of Oklahoma should have the cour-
age and nerve to put halfdozen cattle men ont
of it. There was no apology for the Presidents
action. He was not here to say the President
was controlled by this or that motive--it was
not necessary. The law itself and the Presi-
dents action was a more severe criticism on the
President than he could make if he had the
most bitter tongue of the most bitter man that
lived on the face of the earth.
Mr.. Holman suggested that the last Secretary
of the Interior had given aquasi approval to the
lease of land to cattle men,
MIR. Cannon replied that to hide behind the
petticoats of the last administration was no ex-
cuse for the failure of this administration to
carry out the law.
Pending further discussion, the committee
rose and the House adjourned