Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-06
10 THE POOR INDIAN.
Great Forces at Work to
Civilize Him.
Commissioner MOrgan's Sug-
gestionS to Congress.
Radical Reforms in the Indian Policy
Recommended.
The Red Gen Should Not be Treated as
Wards Of the Nation but as SUBJ
jects with Full Rights of
Citizenship.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches
WASHINGTON, Oct. 5.-The commits
sioner of Indian affairs in his annual re-
port says he thinks the great forces now
at work-the allotment of land In sew
crafty. with its accompanying dissolu-
ton of tribal relations, and the breaking
up the reservations ;.the destruction of
the agency system the requirement of
citizenship and all that belongs thereto,
independence, privilege and duty /;
education which seeks to bring the
rising generation of Indians into right
relationship with the age in which they
live and put into their hands tools by
which they may gain for themselves
food and clothing, and build for them
selves homes--will, if allowed to con-
tinue undisturbed reasonable length
Of time, accomplish their benefcent
ends, The report discusses, at length,
the political status OF the Indians,
tracing the evolution OF the present
policy of dealing with the Indians as
wards. After careful historical survey
the commissioner draws number OF
conclusions. He thinks the time has
come for a declaration by congress to
the effect that hereafter it will not
recognize Indians as competent to make
war; that they shall be treated not as
belligerents but as subjects; that the
general government has right, both
Tor its own protection, for the promo
ton of public welfare and for the good
of the Indians, not only to establish
schools in which their children may be
prepared for citizenship, but also to use
whatever force may be necessary to Sc
cure to Indian children the benefits of
these institutions.
The commissioner submits that the
time is at hand for the extension over
the Indians OF the protection and priv
ileges of our courts.
II venture also to suggest" continues
the commissioner. whether the time
is not at hand for the passage OF an en-
ahling act, whereby the five civilized
tribes may form either a territorial or
state government, to be represented on
the floors Of congress.
"The time has come when the Pueblo
Indians should be admitted by especial
act Of congress to the enjoyment of all
the rights of citizens of the United
States, according to the principles of
the constitution as contemplated by the
treaty OF Guadalupe Hidalgo.
"The definite determination by the
highest authority of the actual political
status OF the Indians is necessary as a
basis of wise legislation. and to the sat
isfactory administration of Indian af-
fairs"
After giving an account of the progress
made in the alloting of of lands to the
Indians during the past year, the com
missioner says: "This radical and far
reaching revolution in the social status
of the Indians is making satisfactory
progress. Land in severalty has in it
the promise and potency Of great things.
but only that, in many cases it brings
unutterable woe, and in all it is
liable to leave the Indians worse
off than BEFORE"
He further says: 81 am not in re-
ceipt of enough information, nor indeed
has sufficient time elapsed to enable me
to Judge of the practical results of the
allotment policy. have seen nothing
during the year, however, to lead me to
change my views as to its ultimate sue
cess"
Regarding the reduction of the reser-
vations which has proceeded with great
rapidity during the year, the report
says: "While it is possible to push this
work too rapidly, perhaps, | do not
hesitate to say that the ultimate de-
struction of the entire system of reser-
vations is inevitable. There is no place
for it in our present condition of life.
Millions of acres of Indian lands now
lying absolutely unused are needed as
homes for our rapidly increasing
population, and must be SO util-
lied. Whatever right and title
the Indians have in them is sub
ject to and must yield to the demands
of civilization. They should be protect
ed in the permanent possession of all
this land that is necessary for their own
support, and whatever is ceded by them
should be paid for at it's full market
value. BUTT cannot be expected under
any circumstances that these reserya-
tions can remain intact, hindering the
progress of civilization, requiring an
army to protect them from the encroach-
ments of home-seekers, and maintain
ing perpetual abode of savagery and
animalism.
The report discusses at length the
subject of Indian education. The en-.
roll nent of Indian pupils for the year
ending June Both was IL 1926, an increase
over last year of 1919. The amount of
congressional appropriation for Indian
education available for the year to
come is nearly two and one quarter
million dollars. The commissioner re-
CARDS the education of the Indians as
the only solution of the Indian problem.
Regarding contract schools, the com
missioner recommends the maintenance
of the status quo for the present, but
urges that the appropriation of public
funds for sectarian education is contrary
to the spirit Of the constitution opposed
to public policy, and ought at an early
day be discontinued. He expresses a
strong appreciation of the missionary
work done among tie Indians by the
churches, and thinks the present time
is peculiarly favorable for an increase of
such work.
THE HEALTH OF THE ARMY.