Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-16
AT mARoUAND CHAPEL.
General Armstrong on she Christian
 Education of the Indians-An Inter- estfng Address Before the Yale Divin-

General Armstreng on she Christian
 Education of the Indians-An Inter-
 estIng Address Before the Yale Divin-
 1ty School.
 Marquand chapel was well filled yesterday afternoon to hear the Indian question dis~ cusssd by General s. o. Armstrong. The general is principal of the Hampton Insti- tute in Virginia, where many negroes and h. dians gre educated, 80 the facts are before him and he deals with them at first hand. / General Armstrong said an accurate census of the Indian tribes had never been taken, but there were probably about 24O, ,O00. Six ty-four thousand of these belong to so-callad civilized tribes. We have to deal with about 75,0 900 Indians. This excludes the Alaskans and includes 30,OoO Sioux Indians. The Apaches are self supporting. The re- maining 100, 900 Indians are scattered along the great Northwest frontier and in the terri tory between the great western mountain ranges. About 59, 600 Indians wear citizens clothes and A, 900 in part. The school pop ulation is about 40,000. Homes and farms are multiplying. The ration system IS miIlstone about the neck of the Indian. Full ly 60 per cent. of our Indian population is ready for citizenship. The game has nearly all been killed and new environments have been forced upon him. Circumstances look now toward the self-support of these tribes. Progress is not suspended and better results may be looked for within the next decade.
 Commerce is building up the Indian. Cap- italists have done fully as much as philan- thzopists in this direction. The railroads of the continent have spread civilization far throughout the West.
 One solution of the Indian question is to scatter the Indians throughout our States
 EhArn A0 ArN1n yoQv n customs, but really this is impracticable. We must treat with the Indians where they are.
 Under most conditions it takes about three years for the Indian to grasp oar language. Those who meet them in the class room have no reason for Encouragement.
 The Indian is not as strong as the white man. His muscles are not so well devel- oped. He cannot accomplish so much in 8 day.
 Much land has already been distributed, but what is needed is an accurate surveying of the district.
 General Armrtrong discussed the Dawes and Thayer bills, which are before congress, and went on to show the results which would follow the passage of those bills.
 The Indian tribes are deeply religious. No man ever trusted an Indian who was not more than repaid. Personal missionary work is no longer dangerous, for the railroads have safely anywhere. Many of the Indians are cultivating from one to thirty acres of fenced land It would be we'll to send good farmers to teach the Indians how to care for stock and how to use machinery. Industrial schools should be established. Only about 12, 900 of the 40,000 school children are in attendance at school. About one-tenth of the children have to stay at home to care for aged; and many live far away from school, and others are indifferent.
 General Armstrong in closing gave an ac. count of his own visit among the Sioux tribes in Dakota last fali. He spoke of the increased civilization shown in the dress and business abilities of the tribe. The farms are we'll fenced. end neat wood piles in the yards showed thrift.