The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-02-08
Ghe GmtelIiqenter:
omeei Nus. 70 and 81 FOurtsOnth Street.
THE MOHOUK CONFERENCE,
What is Being Done to OiviliEs and Chris
tIRniIs the Indians.

persons interested in the Indian question
TO meet at Lake Mohouk, at his beautiful
mountain house, "a his guests, and hold q
conference. The conference has continued
TO meet every year sincs-a noble in
stance, surely, Of Christian hospitality
elevated above q mere Observance Of q
social form. Among the persons who
thus meet are Senator Dawes, with his
wife and daughter, Rsv. DR.. Lyman Alb.
bolt and wife, Rev. DR.. Howard Crosby,
OF New York; Gen. Clinton B. Fisk0 and
wife, Bishop Huntingdon and wife, Of
New York; II. o. Houghton and
wife, OF Boston; Miss Alice Long
fellow, Of Cambridge, Mass; Hon.
Hiram Price, commissioner Of Indian
Affairs, Washington, D. O., Prof.. j. B.
Thayer, Professor Of Law at Harvard Uni.
Vsrslty, and many other prominent per.
sons, in all, about 1873 persons. As the
renort Of the conference, phamphlet Of
III pages, each replete with interest, may
not fall into the hands Of many, the read.
ers Of the INTRLLIdRScER will be inter.
ested In brief summary OF 1t, with some
extERcts-the difficulty being not what TO
take, bat how to leave anything.
General Clinton B. Fisk, on accepting
his nomination as chairman, sketched
briefly the work Of the conference for the
year preceding He said;
"During the year past we have debated
some Of tho most serious problems in con-
nection with Indian affairs, until the Mo.
houk Conference has risen to q place OF
commanding influence. its u!terauCes
are seriously considered by legislators;
they receive the thought OF the public,
aud In many instances those charged with
the administration Of Indian affairs have
given heed to our adviCs. Our conati.
tuenCy is q happy combination OF ele-
ments, combining representatives OF the
various religious bodies who are active In
Christian and educational work among
the Indians.
From the Indian Rights Association,
with their thorough business aims and
methoda for the solution Of the Indian
problem, from the Womsn's National AS.
ISOLATION, who respond to the cry OF the
most needy OF our tribes, and whose de.
yotion to the Indian women and Indian
homes ought to receive the Godspeed and
hearty support OF oil who would uplift
the Indian race; from the Indian Commit
tee Of Boston, whose magnificent services
for the Indian for the last ten years entttle
them to the gratitude Of all people; from
the Board oil Indian Commissioners, and
from the ranks OF the noble and pbilRn-
thropiC men and women all over this land,
hither come the best and truest friends OF
the Indian; men and women who love
justice, and whose peraevering wisdom
standa and knocks at the portals OF power
until Whatsoever things are just are to be
conferred upon their clients, the American
Indians.
"SinCe we last convened We have pro-
gress to report-substsntia progress in
Legislation. The passage Of the Dawes
bill, providing for the allotment OF lands
in sevsralty, aud the extension Of law
over the Indians, and tho beginning Of
new epoch in Indian affairs. The passage
OF the bill, and the election for the third |
time to the United States Senate OF Its |
author, by all political parties in the Mas |
sschusstts Legislature, are q cause Of
great rejoicing throughout this land.
There has been progress in in |
dustries, In education, in civilization. |
Thote Of us who have been waiting and |
watching for more than score OF years,
look upon the existing state OF things as |
very encouraging, although there 10 so |
much yet to do. There are about 250, 900
Indians exclusive OF those in Alaska, |
$4,000 OF them to-day wear citizens cloth |
ing complete 60, 900 more, In part; 10000 |
Indians read and use the EugliBh language
in the transaction OF their bueinege, and |
their number Ia rapidly increasing. There |
Ia much yet to DO accomplished"
The first question discussed by the Con- |
ference was: What changes in Indian |
government ore required by the aboli- |
ton OF the Indian reservation syHtem
From the remarks OF Prof. O. O. Painter |
on this subject we make few EXTRACTS.
"The Dawes Land in Severalty and In. |
dian Citizenship bill, made law since
our last Conference, has given US what
Achimedes wished for, that he might test |
the power Of his lever 10 move the world,
and Wo now have q standing place, and
opportunity to teSt the power Of our civil |
king influences 10 npliit the Indian. |
The law We have done much to secure,
We should bear in mind, Is not the end
we have been seeking, but only needed |
means 10 its attainment 1t has only sup. |
plied necessary condition Tor successful |
work: the work still remainB to be done |
In this case, as In al oLhOrB, enlarged OPP |
portuuity means also increased dangers,
and we who are responsible for the pres- |
ent condition OF affairs will be held re-
spousible for their future outcome. We
cannot hold ourselves innocent Of disss-
teru which may como 70 these people |
through these enlarged opportunities IN |
less We do sill We can to improve them.
1.-THE law We have secured mpat surely, |
AZ its provisions are carried out, under- |
mine and destroy the present Indian |
policy, and the machinery by which 1t is |
carried out. This waa but Ill adapted to |
any work which az friends Of tho Indian |
we desired to see done for him, bqt It has
no place in the new order OF things intro |
duced by this law, which has been Great |
ed since our last Conference. Under Its
p-oyisious he steps out Of his undifer- |
entiated, imperspual tribal relation into |
one Of indiyidualized, responsible citizen. |
ship, under the constitution and laws Oh
tho republic. All things are made new In
his sta us and relations; pertorcs all
things must be made new IL our methods
OF dealing with him. When We make
him q citizsn, We recognize his manhood,
with all its inherent rights under the
Declaration Of Independence and Con-
stiluuon,
IA crisis has been created rather than
reached in the effort We sre making for
the Indian. He Is about to be thrown
into the ueething activities Of our complex
civilization and take his chances in free
competition with other Iaces. He must
receive at once the best possible equip.
ment for this emergency preparation
and education which he could meyer re.
ceiye under the old policy Of enforced
isolation, IegaliEsd paGperism, and IN
eyItabls idleness and debaucheTy, The
most formidable obstacle to his civilize..