Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1889-09-05
TIE INDIAN PROBLEM.


oys and girls away from the camp to put
hem in schools where they are taught
English, morals and trades has no,hiug
eprehersiblc about it except tha, it
Of no consequence, so far as
living the Indian problem lie concerned.
The few boys return to the camps with;
heir English, ,.,their school clothes and
heir short hair. They know a trade.
'lso, but have no opportunity to be
10 it. They loaf about tho
Eorts fer time with nothing to do, and
tho white men talk pigeon English to
them and the wild Indians sneer at them.
Their virtues are unappreciated, and, as
II naturalscousequeuce, the thousands Of
years OF barbarism which are bred
in their nature overcome the three little
seasons Of school training. They 20 to
the camps, go back to the. blankets, let
their hair grow and forget their English.
In year one cannot tell a school boy
from auy other little savage, and in the
whole proceedings I sec nothing at all
strange. The camp will not rise to the
school boy, and so Mohammed goes to
the mountains. II it comes to pass that
the white race desires to aid these Indians
to become a part OF our social system
instead Of slowly crushing them out Of
it, there is only one way to do it.
Tho so.called Indian problem is no
problem at I'LL in reality, only that il has
been made one BY long succession Of
acts which were mastery in,, the isnbecili.
ty and were fostcre1 by political ayaricr.
The sentiment of this nation is in favor
Of no longer regarding the aborigines Of
this country as conquered racs. and
excep' that the great body Of our citizens
are apathc.ic Of things so remote az these
wards Of the government, the people who
have had the administration oi them.
would be called to account. No one not
directly interested ever questioned that
tho Indian department should have been.
attached to the war department, but that
is too patent fact to discuss. Nov ths
Indian affairs are in no hopeless stats.
Of dry rot that practical mcn in political.
or military circles hesitate to attempt the
role Of reformers. The views which I
have on the subject are not original, but
are very old aud we'll understood By al
men who live in Indian countries. They
are current among army oficers who
have spent their whole lives on the
Indian frontier Of the far West, but are
, not often spoken
BECAUSE ALL MEN REALIZE
The impo.epcy Of any attempt to oscr.
:. come the active work Of certain pslisicll
;, ). circles backed BY the public srathy and
! lot Of theoretical Indian regcoerators
/. . II anything is dops to relieve the con
: dition Of the Indian tribes il must b
scheme which begins Il the bottom AMI
takes the ''wLole ou,6t," = Westsr,
j, man would say, 10 i,s ccops. II .kes
!. measures Of relief are At al tardy, befor
j We realize it The wild Indian tribes vi
8 10, - come writer has said, s.loafess %
. i. outcasts conteuding With tho dogs "a
!. kitchen scraps in Western yillagca.
:. They hare Oh raised stock succcsafall
g whsn not interiered With o. not fosee
!: BY insufficient ration to cat up tkel
stock cattle to appssse their hunger, y
have never heard that Indiana W
not made oi soldier stun. A grsat ndn
g. Western garrisons have thsir ccsps
Indian scouts II every cass ~
!. prove efficient. They are natursily 4
s s finest irregular cavalry on tbs frss u n
!. globe, and with % orgasisation st1tl
= TO the RuMian Cossacks they uoai1 I
i d the United States great good spA 3
come themselves gradually oivilisaa. "A
). irregular cavalry i every yesr 4 -
= important branch Of the ssrvice -
90 gaod cavalry olhcsf, / beiievs, eould
. ! command of Indians md sids elG =
!, !" tho world without hasisg p B
~ hsOon. ar 1 c.rtsf9pe. a. : 49, 31i2f1