Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-12-18
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

The President Sees Gratifying Progress in
All of las bureaus.
The report of the secretary of the in
terror shows that very gratifying progress
has been made in all OF the bureaus which
make up that complex and difficult depart
ment.
The work in the bureau of Indian affairs
was perhaps never so large as now, by
reason OF the numerous negotiations which
have been proceeding with the tribes for
reduction of the reservations, with the in
cident labor of making allotments, and
was never more careful conducted. The
provision of adequate school facilities for
Indian children and the locating of adult
Indians upon farms, involve the solution
of the 'Indian question" Everything
else-rations, ;nnuities and tribal negotia-
tons with the agents, inspectors and com
missioners who distribute and conduct
thcm-;nust pass away when the Indian
has become :: citizen secured in the intli
Hidual ownership OF farm from which
he derives his subsistence by his
labor, protected by and
subordinate to the laws which
govern the white man and provided by the
general government or by the local com
munities in which he lives with the means
OF educating his children. When an H.
dian becomes a citizen in an organized
state territory his relation to the gen
eral government ceases in n great measure
to be that OF a ward, but the general gov
eminent ought not to put upon the state or
territory the burden OF the education OF
his children. IL has been my thought that
the government schools and school build
ings upon the reservation should be alb
sorbed by the school system of the states
and territories, but as it has been found
necessary to protect the Indian against the
I.
emption from taxation for a period OF
twenty-five years it would seem to be right
that the general government certainly, for
there are tribal funds i'll its possession
should pay to the school fund of the state
what would be equivalent to the local
school tax on the property OF the Indian.
1t will be noticed from the report OF
the commissioner Of Indian affairs
that already some contracts have been
made with district schools for the
education of Indian children. There
is great advantage, think. in bringing
This process will be gradual, and in the
meantime the present educational provis
ions and arrangements, the result of the
best experience OF those who have beer
charged with this work, should be contin
ued This will enable those religious
bodies that have undertaken the work o
Indian education with so much zeal ant
with results so restraining and bcnciccnt
to place their institutions in new and use
fnl relations to the Indian and his whit,
neighbors.
Tho Sioux Outbreaks.
he outbreak among the Sioux, which
occurred in December last, was, as to it,
causes and incidents, fully reported upon
by the war department and the depart
men. of the interior. That these Indians
had some Just complaints, especially il
the matter of the reduction of the appro
priation for rations and in the delay
attending the enactment Of laws to enabl
the department to perform the engage
ments entered into with them, is probabl,
true, but the Sioux tribes are natural.
warlike and turbulent and their warrior
were excited by their medicin
men and chiefs. who preached tn
coming of an Indian messiah who was t.
give them power to destroy their enemies
In view of the alarm that prevailed among
the white settlers on the reservation an.
of the fatal consequences that would hav
resulted from an Indian uprising, place.