Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-05-01
RATIONS OF THE REDS.
INDIANS WHO RECEIVE Gov
EMINENT FOOD.
The Number of Wards Fed by Public
Money far Less than Generally
Supposcd--whe AID Where
Issued and How 1t Ia
Issued.

Tho Indians are often spoken OF as
paupers, dependent upon government
bounty for the food that keeps them
alive. But there are in round numbers
about 20, 900 red men in Indian Terri
tory, belonging TO the civilized tribes,
that do not receive rations from tho
government. There are also many
Indians elsewhere who are self-support-
ing, such as the Pueblos of New
Mexico. numbering more than 5000;
the Six Nations and st. Regis Indians
OF New York, more than 5000, and
the North Carolina Cherokees, about
=, 900. Then. on the reservations are
many who support themselves by hunt
ing and fishing. by farming, herding
or horse raising, by numbering and the
sale Of timber. and by other occupa-
tons.
In California, for one Indian who
receives ratlons there are ten who do
not; in Oregon and Washington the
Indians are self-supporting; through
the lake region of Wisconsin. Michigan.
and Minnesota the same is true. In
short, out OF an Indian population. eX-
Guiding Alaska Of PA. 900 about 1856,
900 are self-supporting. This leaves
only about SO, 900 who receive rations,
or fewer than one-fourth of the
whole. OF these more than half are in
the Dakotas and Montana.
The next important fact to notice is
that the Indians who do receive rations
in nearly every instance have paid full
value for them. and generally more
than value They deserve to be called
paupers as much as a man would who
should sell piece of land for so, 900
and place the proceeds in the hands of
trustees TO be invested by them so that
the interest should come 90 him in the
form of food and clothing. Make the
trustees the purchasers of his land at u
very good bargain for themselves, and
the analogy would be still closer. Why
should the Indians under such circum-
stances be represented as receiving
aims? Thus queries the New York
Sun. which continues AS follows:
Still. every year the question comes
up whether the ration system is not
really at best makeshift which should
be abandoned at the earliest practicable
moment. The annuities furnish an
opportunity for great deal of swind-
ling. which has frequently been
utilized.
Reliance on rations no doubt tends
TO keep up the idle and lazy habits To
which the Indians are by nature in
clined. The periodical issues Of food
do not even teach them frugality. since
they feast and are wasteful just after
ration day. and perhaps go hungry
before the next distribution. The gov
eminent makes matters worse by its
wretched system of giving out the
rations, which is often at long intervals
and at a single central agency. The
consequence is that those who attempt
farming may have to leave their crops
uncared for and their stock INTENDED.
while the long journey 10 and from the
agency becomes a picnic. arriving
home perhaps to find the crops in q
discouraging state.
Indeed. so primitive is the official
machinery in regard to rations that At
some agencies, such as Anadarko and
Darlington, the habit, according TO
Commissioner Morgan, is still kept up
OF issuing live cattle, so that the In
dams may chase them over the prairie
In imitation OF the buffalo hunt Of
former days, amid the bowling OF dogs;
and when the poor beasts are shot, the
squaws are allowed to do the work Of
butchering, while the children look on,
Perhaps some day substitute for
the present system may BIO found in
the establishment of several sub-agen-
cies instead OF a single central one.
each provided with n store in which
food and clothing can be had, and with
shops for blacksmithing, carpentry.
and so on. These could be managed
by the Indians themselves, and annui-
ties could DO paid largely in money in
stead of goods and without the need
of long journeys 10 get it. Then. with
more facilities furnished for work out
side the reservations and for market
ing their products. the present annuity
and reservation system would gradually
DC changed. The Indians might still
have their head money or individual
pensions. but would no longer make
these an excuse for life OF idleness.
Meanwhile the evils resulting from the
bad quality of goods and from injurious
methods of distribution shonld DO cor
rected.