Morning journal and courier., 1889-04-13
1usrroE FOR THE INDIAN.

JUSTICE FOR THE INDIAN. How He Lives and Is Treated Told by
 MT. Herbert Welsh 50 the Local In-
 dian Rights AssociatIon as Center
 Church Chapel Last Evening-In-
 dians in the West-Shan MT. Oberly
 still be on the COmmission2
 The New Haven branch of the Indian Rights association held meeting in Center church chapel last evening-at least it was to have held meeting, but when 8 o'clock came there were but seven or eight people there. Among these, however, was MT. Her bert Welsh of Philadelphia, secretary of the National association, and the evening was passed very pleasantly in listening to his re- cital of the work done and to be done for the Indian. Rev. Dr. Newman SmYth and Pro- fessors A. J. Dubois and Farnam of Sheffield Scientific school were among the attentive hearers.
 In beginning MT. Welsh said that during his recent trip West he had gone to Dakota at the urgent request of Indians on the Yaneton reservation. This reservation is comparatively small and lies on branch of the Missouri river. The people have for some time been under the influence of Christian teaching. They have not advanced, however, as they ought to.
 The first cause of this is undoubtedly in inefficient agents. They are usually unsuitable men. One of these agents robbed the gov- ernment of 80,000 and was 8 notoriously bad man. What could you expect of Indians under these circumstances! The agent whom I found there was rough man of small mental calibre, and the superintendent was cross and treated his teachers with great brutality. An excellent work WAS being done by St. Paul's missson school. The prin- cipal was 8 woman of good force of charac- ter that her devotion was immediately felt.
 was much impressed while at this agency of the need of high moral standard. It is evident that according as the agent acts, so will be the prevailing moral tone of the agency. My whole experience tells that the character of our government agents IS the key to the question. Remember that this question is one that must be settled by pop uIar feeling and it rests on the way that ap- pointments are made.
 I next went into New Mexico. During my stay in one town, there were no less than eight deaths by human violence. Three of these were horse thieves, another was sympathizer with these, four were killed by the sheriff, who had himself mur- dered an Indian in cold blood, and the others were killed in barroom fights. Much immo- rality also exists here. These Mochkee Indi- ans number about 2,200. There are two vil- lages here. The people here are amiable, quiet and can readily be reached by right means. The people are to-day very much as they were found by the Spaniards 800 years ago. Their principal argument against send ing their children to schools is that we have failed to adjust their difficulties with the Navajo Indians, who number 1000. The NavAjoes would visit their weaker brothers and on going away would carry off khnx hovo aoaI &o country of the Navajoes is wonderful and strange. Sheer cliffs, winding valleys grassy plains are spread over by these twen- ty thousand Navajoes, and we have done nothing for them. We have never sent word of the higher life among them. If we have g spark of the divine light that is capa- ble of lifting man above the brute, are we not responsible for the life of these peopIea The first way through which we can reach them is through schools. Yet we must send good men there. There is nothing that an Indian sees through quicker than an un- principled man. One of the teachers there was so vile that his immoralities were eom> mon jest among the Indians, and another was surgeon, who had been discharged from the army for hsinous crime and had been appointed there by the Democratic administration. If we are to go on this way with vicious change in every clique of incoming politicians, our work will never amount to anything. Why should we permit these changes to go ons Why should we not today proclaim that Democrat and Republican shall not be thought of in appointing these men. Let our agents and teachers not be men who are in with politi- clans, the editor of some country paper, per- haps, who had supported some candidate in his campaign, but thoroughly competent men; men who have demonstrated their abil- ity to us. There must be reform and the spells system can never exist if we wish to do any good whatever to the Indian.
 I went then into Arizona and travelled Miles. These Indians have been very wild indeed. At every point in the road I was shown where white men had been shot down but still they can be brought to higher life. Their great curse is drink.
 Let me now say few words as to the re- tention of MT. oberly, which has agitated our association of late. He was appointed on the Indian commission in place of men who were notably spoilsnen and since he has been in office he has worked conscientiously for the principle of Indian reform. He has even antagonized himself to the spoilsmen in his own party and has been almost forced many times to resign his office but we are in hopes that he will be kept in for the good of the 1udians and for the principle of reform. We simply asked President Harrison that a man who was in and was performing his work creditably should pc kept ID. we nave o0Velopeo tnlb Ihce Among the most staunch and undoubted Re- publicans men who stand high in the party have indorsed our efforts in every particular. MT. Oberly has showed conclusively that no objection can be brought against his conduct of affairs since he tame into office. He is supported by hundreds of Republicans and the general voice is that Indian reform and the principle of reform itself will be reck- lessly abused if this conscientious officer falls before the clamor of the spoilsmen. Unless the government can put in men upon the ground of merit only the hand of the spoils- man will grasp the throat of the Indian and ruin every prospect of a better state. Men and women with convictions founded upon facts that are true are force in this country.
 A vote of thanks was rendered to MT. Welsh, and the officers of the New Haven branch of the past year were reelected.
 Celebration of Memorial Bay.