Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-12-04
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of the Inte-
riOr exhibits the transactions of the Gov
eminent with the Indian tribes Substan-
tisl progress has been made in the educs-
ton of the children OF school and the al
lotment of lands to adult Indians. 1t is
TO be regretted that the policy Of breaking
up the tribal relation and of dealing with
the Indian as an individual did not appear
earlier in our legislation. Large reserva-
tions, held in common and the maintenance
of the authority Of the chiefs and head
men, have deprived the individual of every
incentive to the exercise of thrift, an the
annuity has contributed an affirmative I'M
pulse towards state of confirmed pauper-
ism.
Our treaty stipulations should be ob-
served With fidelity, and our legislation
should be highly considerable OF the best in
terests of an ignorant and helpless people
The reservations are row generally sur
rounded by white settlements. We can
not longer push the Indian back into the
wilderness, and it remains only, by svery
suitable agency, TO push him upward into
the estate Of self-supporiing and respon-
sihle citizen. For the adult, the first
step is to locate him upon farm, and for
the child, TO place him in 2 school. School
attendance should be promoted by
every moral agency, and those fall
ing should be compelled. The
national schools for Indians have
been very successful, and should be multi
piled az fast as possible; and should be so
organized and conducted as to facilitate the
transfer of the schools to the States or
Territories in which they are located
When the Indians IN q neighborhood have
accepted citizenship and have become 9th
erwise fitted for such transfer. This
condition Of things will be attained slowly,
but it will be fastened by keeping it in
the meantime that cooperation between the
government and mission schools which has
wrought much good should be cordially
and impartially sustained.
INDIAN RESERVATIONS TO BE OPENED.
The last Congress enacted two distinct
laws relating 10 negotiations With the
Sioux Indians of Dakota, for reluquish.
ment of a portion of their lands 10 the
United States, and for dividing the re-
mainder into sepera,e reservations Both
were approved on the same dsy-March 2.
The ore submitted to the Indians, speci-
fic proposition; the other Section 3, OF the
laden Appropriation Act] authorized by
the President to appoint three commission
ers 70 negotiate with these Indians for the
accomplishment of the same general pur.
pose, AID required that any agree.
ments made should be submit
ted to Congress for ratification.
On the 18th day of April last I appoint
ed Hon. Chsrles Foster, Of Ohio, Hon.
William Warner, Of Missouri, and Major
General George Crook, Of the United States
army, commissioners under the last named
law. They were, however, authorized and
directed, first, 20 submit to the Indians
the definite proposition made to them by
the act first mentioned, and only in the
event Of failure to secure the assent Of
the requisite number to that proposition
to open negotiations for modified terms
under the other act. The work of the
commission was prolonged and arduous,
but the assent Of the requisite number