The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-08-15

CHAIRMAN FOSTER. .. year figured on ~.
100000, but that Was owing to mis-
apprehension of last years commits.
sioner. BY the terms, Of thoatreaty OF 6s
we were TO obtain the consent Of three fourths
of all male Indians over 10 years. There are
"a 600 Indians on the reservation and $500 Of
these are men. So. you see, that merely the
clerical work Of obtaining signatures, had ali
been willing, was not little.
1.-The Indians are inclined to run about <
great deal, and this gave US q vast amount OF
trouble. At no time did we have the requts il .
thrce-fourths at any meeting, / believe, but we
would do the best we could with those present
and leave the rolls with the agents. At other
times the agency rolls would be found imper-
feet, and new and uuheard-of In
dians would turn .sx, mp ,szss after We
thought We had the three-fou
consent. The opposition we met nearly every
where was generally easily overcome. except a,
: Standing Rock and Pine Ridge agencies. The
first OF these is Sitting Bull s tribes headquar.
ters. It is wonderful what regulations some
OF these lazy, dirty and insignificant Indians
have in the East. Sitting Bull 10 known
everywhere. On the reservation he is one OF
the most insignificant of the Chiefs #
OF the country Chairman Foster could not
be induced to say that the prospects for tho
farmers were the best He said: E
1T is certainly good graz ,ng country, and
eoMe VI ~ 10 HoOu lOr farming, OUT on the
whole it Is better for grazing purposes
Cattle can be fattened throughout the
winter and it is just the country for sheep.
Seventy-tive per cent. of it. possibly I
should say all of it is good grazing land; but,
personally, am not impressed with the coun-
try as agriculturally inviting."s
what will be the effect Of the opening OF the
country on the 1ndians:'
II only judge from the past. They have not
been farmers or cared for the a6vantaoos nj
civilization, but OF recent years they are grad
ually accepting both. Many of the old bands
ore broken up. At Santee three. fourths OF all
the Indians signed their own names: they
wear our clothes and draw no rations. They
have already practically reached the stage OF
self support. The Riggs Industrial School at
this agency is model. Catholic schools are
found at all the agencies; the girls are learn
ing to sew and to cook and the boys are rapidly
learning trades. There is also u day school in
each camp The sale OF the land will put the
Government in position to greatly help
the Indians, but it must be with the
aid OF the best agents. I am convinced
that the Indians are capable OF being greatly
advanced, and with proper work think tribal
relations would be extinct In one generation,
These agencies are no place for mere Office
seekers, ard when appointed the agents
should be given full responsibility and power
give them schools and plenty of them, and
that any school of the agency is mistake.
The educating must be done among them"
Chairman Foster says the reports of thou
sands waiting to enter the new district are
exaggerated. "A number are congregated
at Chamberlain, but not thousands think
the country should be surveyed this fall
and opened next spring. I do not believe
it can be opened before that time"