The sun., 1889-11-12
ooMMlssroxsa MoReAx,s PsoeRAMMS
souae Rather Loosely woried Uttsraness
About Ihe Indtnn Problers.


About the Indtan Probieua.
WASHINGTON Nov. 1.-THE new Commits
sioner Of Indian Affairs IL abundantly equipped
with views concerning the management OF the
red mon. and does not object to announcing
them frequently. Far from feeling reluctance
at attending the annual Mohawk conference,
he took a prominent purt In It's deliberations,
and, II IL fair TO add, came out Of 1t with credit
and strong endorsements. Since then be has
been making addresses on his policy in New
England ana perhaps elsswhere: and now In
his FIRST annual report he announces no fewer
than eight very general propositions toward
disposink Of the Indian problem. He begin
his duties with these. he says, rs we'll defined
and strongly cherished convictions
One Of those strongly cherished convictions
is that the Indians must conform 10
tho white mans ways. peaceably II they
will. forcibly II they must" This language
IL not intrinsically new. but is rather novel
as coming from the Commissioner OF In
dian Affairs. Some people hold that the
red men are doomed to sxterminhion.
and will richly deserve that fate. Tho rough
and.ready frontlersman may argue that the
only good Indian is a dead Indian. and that
force is the true appli lance 10 be used ~ man
OF the functions OF the Indian Bureau Is sup
posed to be to protect the red men IRON vio-
I ~
menacing an eplgram as that the Indians
cannot escape &c opr ciyIliSSt99n ana mTSS e,aSr @
say 1s the reS
will In time become good citizens does not re-
auire the announcement OF any such threaten
Again In the eight propositions laid down
for the administration OF the Indian 0nice. the
numerous and binding agreements OF the Gov
ernment with the red men are utterly ignored.
There is not tho remotest reference to them.
II Is declared that the reservation system
dian is not entitled TO be supported in idle
ness" The fact is tnat the red man right TO
his sSre b. that bs pGn de %
courts. is as clear rs the white lnan'a. Our
Government has acquired scores Of millions OF
at a, stipulated price usually a., PAYABLE
II the bas o sssn rassd pS S o
s nI at s an a5'ance in the Srce In many
cases the Indians, with their few wants. are
able to live without much work on their in
comes pieced out by their hunting and fishing.
To announce that in such cases they are not
entitled TO be supported in idleness" is rather
o startling proposition OF reputation OF con-
larly startling when It comes from the Govern.
ment that. has mado enormous gains out OF
reselling the lands thus paid Tor by the annui.
ties. and out Of the resulting settlements and
industries. But 1t is most startling OF all whom
Government charged with looking after. the
rights Of the red man. and seeing that the faith
pledged to him is not violated.
Commissioner, will regulate the Indian policy,
and it will undoubtedly 70 right along In the
path which has for some time been taken. The
whole tendency of it's recent Legislation is to
reduce the reservations, give the Indian land
in severalty. multiply schools. encourage him
to industry and thrift. and bring him forward
to citizenship; The general law for alIotments
In severalty is already enacted, And carries
with 1t provisions for citizenship. Within the
last three years the reservations have been
reduced by tho purchase of from 15.O0O.000 to
10000, 900 acres, and negotiaIions are going on
for the purchase OF from 6,000.0OU to 1U.000.000
more. This is a sutIieientiy. rapid rate OF
system. 1t win continue t. go on;
the validity Of existing treaties and Indian
rights OF property. With the extension Of rail-
roads, commerce. and schools among them. the
red men will doubtless learn by degrees, and
especially in tho new generation the advan-
tage OF industry over idleness:, yet. II some Of
the old Indians are content to be supported on
their pledged incomes. as some white men are.
how does it follow that they have no right to
such incomesi
Presumably Commissioner Morgan, will req
ognize tho rights OF the red man in the details
Of official practice and apart from Reneraliza-
tion and platform making. In fact, in one
OF his propositions he proposes to go ahead
with wise conservatism" toward the desired
al