, 1890-01-30
THE INDIAN PROBLEM
Inspector James A, Cisney Re-
turns From an Inspection of
the Colville Agency.
He Gives a Review Reporter an
Interesting Account of His
Observ ations.

James A. Cisncy, United States
Indian inspector, who has been in
specting the Colvllle agency for sew
cnI weeks, returned to the city
/ Tuesday.
Owing TO the deep snow, Mr..
Clsncy was unable to make his in
spection IA complete us he desired.
lie went first to the agency Mt Fort
I Spokane, and there learned that
the SNOW in the Okanogan reserve
was four feet deep, and that II
would bc impossible for him to get
there. After RENAL ming at the
agency for some time he returned
to this city and proceeded to the
Colvillc and Cmur d'Alcne reserves,
from which he has Just returned,
Mr.. Cisney was seen by REVIEW
reporter lust night, and in the
course of conversation said concern
ing his mission:
"The agent whom Mr.. Cole sue
ceeded, Major Gwydir, was the most
lamentablc failure ~ an Indian
agent | have yet heard Of, and II
will take some time to overcome the
results of his lncompetcncy and
mismnnagement.
"IIe left debts amounting to ut
least a., 900 at the agency for which
he never forwarded any vouchers,
and a large number of people To
whom the government IL indebted
through his acts urc unable TO get
their pay, The people to whom
| this money Is due can not get their
pay until Gwydlr signs the vouchers,
and this he refuses to do. This Is In
keeping with his acts oil through
his administration and | can not
imagine why the inspectors who WIS.,
itcd the agency during his term OF
Office did not report him to the de
partlncnt for suspcn sion.
"Agent Cole IL making n splendid
record, and is an honest, conscicn-
tious and capable official whose
services as agent will result in much
good for the Indians under. his
charge. His territory is entirely
too large, however, embracing five
reservutions-the Spokane, Okano-
gun, Colville, San pucll and Cmur
d. Alcnc, and he can not do 1t jus
ticc.
"A school Is bad ly needed Mt the
Colville agency, and there are prob
ably 100 children In that neighbour
hood who would 80 TO school II they
had an opportunity. | have rccom-
mended that u school be established
there, and am quite positive 1t will
he done.
"a large boarding school was
built ON the Okanogan reservation
during Major Waters adminis,ra-
ti0n ms agent over four years ago,
and no school has ever been held In
the building.
"rhc Indians on the Cmur
d'AlCne reservation lead all Others
under the jurisdiction of the Col
vile agency in civilization. Tho
boarding school for gisis, which Is
under the charge of the Sisters of
Charity. would bc n credit to any
community. II Is conducted pre-
clsely as boarding schools In cities
ure.
"There are about sixty girls in at
tendance, twenty.thrcc Of whom
are white, belonging to people liv-
ing In tho nelGhb0rhood. The In
dian girls are apparently MS intclll-
gent us their white sisters, and keep
right along with them In their
studies, music included. Nearly all
the Indian girls arc half breeds, and
some of them are az white as an
ordinary white girl,
"The girls are all neatly clad and
everything about the place is re-
mnrknbly neat.
.pI'hn Enyui s,lnpl yphi,l IL ,,,l,,
the charge of the priests, Is also an
pare with the girls school.
"The schools on the Colvillc res
crvation are seven miles from the
town Of Colville and arc similar to
those on the Cnur a. Alcne rcserva-
ton, and are also under the man
agcment of the Catholics.
"The government pays the sisters
SlOS per year for clothing, boarding
and schooling each Indian child,
Indian children can not he success
fully taught in any other than
bOardlng-school.
''In this manner thcy nre con-
stantly under the guidance Of civ
ilizing influences, whereas, when
they attend day schOo! and live
with their parents they retain the
savage customs and Instincts NOf
their racc.
"The Indian problem can be set
tied through the agency Of the
boardlng-schools. II ls useless to
try to educate the old Indians,
but we can hold them In
subjection and educate their chill
drcn and make good and useful cili-
zcns of them. They In time will
educate their children In the man
ner in which they themselves have
been educated, and in this manner
tho Indian problem viii eventually
by satisfactorily settled,
"Somc of the older Indians, Of
course, are quick to adopt the civill-
zation of the whites, but the main
point Is to look after the education
Of the children.
Anyone who Is Of the opinion that
Indians can not become civilized
should visit the Ceur d'Alcne re-
serve, and especially the school"
Mr.. Cisncy IL one OF the five in
spectors employed by the govern
n,cnt. His field is wherever he may
he ordered by the department, and
he will remain here until he re-
ccives orders where to next proceed.