Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-10-18
TEACHING THE INDIAN.
INTERESTING ADDRESS BY COMMIS-
 SIONER MORGAN.
Cheaper to Educate Indians Than to K i'll Them--Tecnical School Advocated Where the Dusky Pupils
 May Learn the White
 Mems Arts.
Phenix Republican,

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: As you are probably all advised, this meeting is for the purpose of listening to very distin guished authority upon most important subject, viz: the education and civiliz- ation of the Indians.
 "To the people of Arizona this theme IS deeply interesting and is closely related to our moral and commercial welfare The Indians of Arizona have been, until very recently, the most troublesome ob- stacle to the territory's progress, and even now, l believe it IS earnestly desired by a majority of our citizens that the more uncivilized and barbarious Indian reser- vations be removed from the territory al- together. The Indian Bureau of the gov ernment, however, is doing everything possible to educate these people, not only for their moral enlightenment, but to re- lieve their power to obstruct progress.
 "The best intelligence of the law-mak- ing branch of the government has recog- nized the worthy efforts of the Indian service by appropriating upwards of $2,OO0,OOO for establishing schools and for otherwise educating and elevating the Indians of our country, and the honor able gentleman who will address you this evening in the highest authority of the government upon Indian matters, the Secretary of the Interior nearly, if not at all times, deferring to his judgment, and l think I am safe in saying that no man in the United States more fully under stands the Indian question than does General Morgan, and it is not only high honor, but great privilege to listen to him lecture upon the subject
 Il am told that the immediate signifi- canoe of his visit to this locality relates to the establishing of large Indian school in the vicinity of Phenix. If this is the Generals purpose, believe that our citi- zens should extend to him their most hearty support, as it Is certainly matter of the deepest importance to our welfare. I now have the honor of presenting to you General J. T. Morgan, Commissioner | of Indian Affairs"
 Commissioner Morgan is slender gen tleman, of pleasing manner and address, and held the attention of the audience to every word of the lecture. It was of con siderable length and from 1t the following extracts are made:
 | 1.-The government is under the most solemn obligation not only to undertake 1 this work, but to carry 1t to completion. It has assumed the entire oversight of these people; provides for them reserva- tions; appoints agents and makes itself in all respects their guardian. To fail to educate their children will be nothing less than a national crime
 We owe 1t to them as a debt The
 land taken from them by the government, which they once claimed and occupied, is
 to-day the foundation of our national
 wealth and greatness. The small sum needed for establishing and maintaining schools adequate for the education of all | tnTr o1,1 1O,,A
 amount compared with the value Of the
 Indian lands now in the possession of
 the white people.
 Ut IS treaty of obligation. The gov
 ernment has again and again by the
 most solemn treaties put itself under the
 obligation to establish and maintain
 schools, and the national faith is plighted
 to this important work. In some cases
 for example that of the Sioux Indians in
 the Dakotas, it has specifically bound it.
 self by treaty, in return for the cession of
 a vast body of land, to provide ample edu-
 cational facilities
 Tt is in the interest of good govern
 ment, for if the Indians are not educated
 by the government they will not be edu-
 cated at all. They are helpless; the sev-
 eral state governments are indifferent, and the churches cannot do it all. Unless educated they are doomed to pauperisn and their continued degradation means
 the detriment of the white people. On
 the contrary their elevation will enhance
 the public peace and prosperity.
 For more than century they have
 hung upon our borders as a menace tc
 the pioneer settler, block in the path
 way of progress. There are now on file
 in the Indian office claims for more thar | 0l0 000 fo al1 4O hoU
 been destroyed, and a cordon of schoo houses is the surest defense of the west ern settler against their depredations
 They have been among us, but not of us all other people, except the Mongolans perhaps, have easily assimilated with u and become part of our national life simply because the common schools have been open to their children. Open ou schools to the Indians and their childrel too, will grow up Americans.
 l Tt is economical Knowledgeis is power Every Indian who has been properl. , trained becomes producer, a wage-earn CT, and contributes to the general pros $ perity. The history of some of our larg l industrial schools show conclusively tha - these dusky pupils can be trained to skill - full and productive industries. The con tinuance of this industrial training for few years longer will create a new epocf l Thousands of Indian boys and girls ar becoming through it, familiar with grea T variety of industries, are acquiring tast l. for work and pride in their own skill They are ambitious of having homes C > their own. of living in houses of their ow1 ,. tilling their own fields and enjoying tn II fruits of their own labor.
 r. Tt Is entirely feasible. During th 6 1noSt roor mora tba11 16 OQl Tn1io11 xoTtt IS have been enrolled, and more than 12,0C IS ill daily attendance. They have show e aptitudes for learning trades, acquirin knowledge, and for the arts of musi u drawing, etc They have been docil U teachable and have exhibited many 'I the highest traits of humanity. In u y best of these schools the morale compare ,s favorably with the best white schools of y similar grade Whether the Indian ca IS be educated is happily no longer an ope n question.
 "The work should be prosecuted no1 It There is no time to be lost. The reserv n tions are being largely diminished al IS rapidly broken up; the Indians are takir al their lands in seyeralty; white people a re crowding ill upon them on all sides, al ln all the conditions of life are changin D. The buffalo is gone; the chase m almost thing of the past; the vast hun
 ing grounds are being converted in le fields, and the forces of modern civil at ation are at the very doors of the wigwal 70 The Indian must be taught how to ut III ize these forces, or be crushed, for he c; ne no longer fly from them. The locomoti e. is faster than the flying Indian pony al H. has swept past him. From ocean or ocean the white man has established hil
 self, and the Indian can no more esca
 from civilization than from the atmC
 phere.
 "The one great purpose of these schoo
 the preparation for American citizenshi ed should be kept steadily in view, shou g. shape the course of the study, determi el- the selection of the teachers, control t lc- discipline and pervade the entire ma re- agement. The schools should be nur: m- ries of patriotism and should foster m- spiritof manliness and independence. lel "They should carry their pupils n- enough to enable them to stand alo he when they leave their sheltering ca it. Whenever practicable, they should be 'or troduced to the public schools, when tn ng should have an equal chance with wh To boys and girls. Prepare them for inc 7as pendence, then give them liberty. he them tO earn thair own 1ivinp tO ma