New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-25
SPEAKING FOR THE INDIAN.
ADDRESSES AT THE QUILL CLUB.
OPINIONS OF HERBERT WELSH GENERAL
HOWARD AND Mr.. HALLoCK.

ucrbert welsh. of Philadelphia. secretary o. tHe Nauo"'
Indian Rights Association; General o. - fo"""'
J. y. Uallock and Others. There was a iar-e attn"
ance. some fifty or sixty members helhs pc97"r
Henry Day presided. and among Others there Wero
the Rev. John X. Allen. and Professor A. ArIhaen''
Of Tarrytown the Rev. DR.. W. {. Brltlhg' lc NOV
Dr.. John c. Bliss. the Rev. Ellsworth Bonids' u -
Duncan pulklcy, the Rev. Or. talbot 'ha'noeis'
Thomas o.. Conant. Richard T. Davies, Robert Ia
Dobcrtv. the Rev. Or. John Il. Drnry. the Rev. DE-
Theodore A. X. Gcssler, william X. Gilchrlst' Rober'
Graham. The Rev. J. W. Iiagcmann. the Rev. James
II. Uoadley. the Rev. Dr.. Edwin 7. lngerSoh' Vi
D~rookIvn: the Rev. DR.. James King, the Kew DE-
Abbott f. Kittrcdce. Dr. Egbcrt lie feVrc' hoocr'
Lille. W. II. Mccarthy. Henry NJ. MacCracken' 'e
rsy. DR.. r.. r. Middleditch. Professor J. a. Paine oil
Ta,rytown: Or. Eugene II. Porter, Arson u. f. Kan
dolpll. Arthur d. 7. Randolph. the Rev. Dr' oeaiy
T.. Hossiter. the Rev. Henry NJ. simpson, of Patterson;
William =. st. John. the Rev. DR.. Charles Ia lhomp
son. the Rev. l.. T.. Tyler. the Rev. DR.. william liayo5
Ward. Henry Randall Waite, the Rev. Dr. Henry van
Dyke. L. \. Maynard, ard r. o. Conan'.
Mr.. Welsh was received with applause. lie spoke
In part a, follows:
Vha; are the main outlines Of work 10 be done in the
solution Of the Indian problem! About 10000 In,
d!ans. many Of whom do not speak our iangnaH hsH w.
must bc speedily educated to the point where tNy IN
nlngle naturally WIN our HMMm pc9 9hc VI an Inn.
u0rtant Intermediate stage before they are ready Tor IN
change. during which Government SIper,iiioH anu iho
Government and tho Churches OF the country can 90
the necessary work Of education W., the tsrm ~
It's fullest Sonsc) IS short because the waves of wmte
civilization are beating 50 irrc>iStibly upon the lHahu
reservations oi me Indians n ti!a! Hi ,ncir I,ppds' as
civilized and industrious men, they VIII ma thelr P"9
sessions washed away from beneath their feet.
The land in scveTalty bill. which became a law
Individual. and opens to linn the door to citizenship;
Whether or not he shall get the practical advantage 81
re" Nth which tbe Gnvcrnmcnt carries out the work
- aiiofuaut mud upou his own fitness 10 care TOT anu
fin his land. While II i, tric that the passage Of this
bill wa a revolution 70 the status OF t %d IHa@m
on the part II those who guide IT, operations VIII u
nrovo an ark Of safety for This weak and helpless PEG
pie until the waters Of change and uncertainty ""''"
10 organized and complicated work such as tho
IDdi1u service can be successfully carried out uII'>'
there be al the head Of II Intellectual and moral i1rrS
,n,ratinc under the control III sound principles, ana
rrdcr conditions which permit large discretion ana
authority, and above all a continuity oi ,p1h'H. ",
need not 80 much care WHEELER ta,S 'hi r,es Inttons
or plain civilian blark-but a man OF the klnd ! NV
act. or the result, in the future will be as unSatiriar
Iicye that the care " the Indians IS n civil function,
and that the necessity for their transfer to the war
Department. If Il was ever necessary. is lc's sn rs
4, As The Indian moves forward from savage u"
civilized If. The remedy for the prrscnt grave short
cominrs Of the Indian service lies rather IN evolution
nan in revolution. in the complete adoption of the
rnIos and the principles Of a reformed civil service,
than in converting a civil into a military function.
NV Va have nm excellent Indian Commissioner In Gen.
OVAL = vn m"Y one rbn has greatly improved The school
service. but whose range Of authority has been too
limited 10 produce the best results.
The late tr1uhlcs I'm Dakota wonld probably never
have occurred i'm the serious form they assumed MiI
moi tbe spoils system during the past ten wears obtained
I'm The service. That system was not the dirrct cal>'
" trouble. but 1t IS uudouht div responsible FOR th,
fat3l weaEae,, and d iqG%p3 ,en6 a. ~ s ..rysm m The c .tormi
I think that the factors IN the disturbance considered
Growing hostility on the part OF, pagan and non
Sitting Bull. Red Cloud aud kicking Rear, excited by
advances IN CIVILIZATION among if 'nTlNldl VI
progressive party Of Indians, and pressure OF clviliha
Irritation produced by failure Of Congress 10 nc,
promptly In fulnlnns the promises Of The Commission
which negotiated The recent treaty for the sale Of part
Of the sioux Reservation. also failure Of Congress b
appropriate money promptly last winter ~ urged by
Hunger at Pine Ridge produced by failure Of crops.
dlmihution In nt'ons' partly owing to shrinkaRc OF
The Messiah craze. which was 60 handled by tho
leaders Of trouble rs to excite their followers 10 a
dangerous state Of fanat!cism.
The spells system. which has for wears prevented Al
efficient service. frequently securing the dismissal ~
good Indian agents and employees and the appoint
The true remedy ilcs in a united and pcrslstent
President shall extend the Clvll service rule TO all
those place, IN the scrvic" 70 which thcy are ap.
pl'cahlc, and the merit principle Of appointment to hI
places.
Mr.. welsh'a speech ives heard with great interest.
lie spoke easy and earhestly md made his points tell.
General Howard followed. He said that the opinions
~ public men on the Indian question varied. and
were as wide apart rs the Fast from tho West. Tho
object Of all good men was to bring the Indians into
the same condition, Of citizenship as tho inhabitants
~ country towns in th" Central or Middle states
whore they would have the same duties aud r'spon-
sibinties under the local and general law, A. the IN.
habuant, Of those Villages now had. General Howard
said that he was no optimist. and dd not believe that
the errors of centuries could be corrected In q genera
ton. In every sensible way the Indians had been cN-
Guided from the rights and privileges Of the BODY
| r,ff4fc ImF Ifrc ,..- - ia, land t.nur. in ErrfQr nd
and ireland. there wa no hope Of a rcctincatlon.
81 have no sympathy whatever said General How
ard. with the class of pcssimliis who believe every
Indian essentially vicious. After a long experience !
have found them no more subject to the ycions pa aionS
and appetitcs than abundance Of white men who have
been born and bred under the full HIGHT Of civilization.
What IS the end gradually 10 BE- worked toward Il
IS citizenship. 1t is TO bring these people within the
boundaries of our boosted Government. MANY Of tho
reservations today and MANY Of the Pueblo Indians
are ripe for transfcrcnce 10 the conditions OF
citizenship. ! woud give the Indian tho right Ia
vote and the right Of his property. and protect him BY
the whole power Of the Government il need be-"
As TO the wild Indians who insisted on tribal rcla.
tions. General Howard would place them under the
control Of the Army. As to the temptation TO avarico
Of the whites toward Indians held Az wards Of tho
| Government. General Howard said:
wous remedy this, a far as 10 ran be rene
died. BIZ clcvatlDg the agents, giving them suit
! able compensation, and holding them TO a strict ac.
countahilltv like. for instance. officers Of the Navy, ana
Il strikes me that II would be wise, In view OF tho
necessity TO make amends for . century Of dishonor.
to mt M the Indian Burcau Itself into the clear light
~ an independent hurcau. This would tend 10 bring
tie respon- ibinty. which Is vast. more directly upon
tLc executive himself. ~ course these suggestions
have nothing whatever to do with the present able
secretary or Commissioner. but simply with the system.
i. y. iIallOck d"iueatcf some Of the phases aud
trait, Of the Indian character. In closing his r-
marks he said
Why l. il that we deny the rcdshin chief Of the
Wet the praise We accord SO generously TO the pale
skin chief of the East! / contend that this love oi
liberty, implanted deep in every Indian heart. 30 iat
from being q dc,rimcnt. is ~ immense advantage ana
will eventually make him q better and more patriotic
citizen Of the Commonwealth, although II l. this trall
which makes him uoN so Objectionable ana 80 offensive
T., our frontier. The rrd-lin chief has had possession
IF hi, happy hunting grounds 80 long that he con
,,dcr- them his ~ right 81 occupancy. And when ne
soos The pale face INTRUDER approaching. his sense OF
| - .AL. mi M InIrr.ut n.y.. IL frnnlnin Irp III