Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-10-08
THE INDIANS.
Commissioner Morgan Makes His
Annual Report,
A Number of important Suggestions
Made, and Attention Called 20
Necessary Changes.
CARING FOR THE REDSKINS.

WASHINGTON, Oct. THE sixtieth
annual report of the commissioner of
Indian affairs has just been submitted
to the secretary of the interior. After
abiding to the increased public inter
est in the subject of Indian administra-
ton the commissioner outlines what he
regards as the settled policy of the gov
eminent in its dealings with the In
dians, emphasizing comprehensiveness,
defniteness of aim, clearness of out
line, adaptation of means to ends, JUS
tice, frmness, humanity, radicalness,
stability, and time as the essential ele-
thinks the great forces now
at work-land in severalty, with its
accompanying dissolution of the tribal
relation and breaking up of the reser-
walton; the destruction of the agency
system; citizenship and all that belongs
thereto, of manhood, 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 to put
into their hands the tools by which
they may gain for themselves food and
clothing and build for themselves
homes-will, if allowed to continue I'M
disturbed a reasonable length of time,
accomplish their benefcent ends.
The report points out that originally
the Indians were regarded as indie
pendent nationalities, then as depend
ent allies. In 1872 congress forbade
making any treaties with the In
dians, and in 1887 the general
allotment act provided for the al
lotment of lands and the admis-
sion of the Indians into full
citizenship. 1t says the time has come
for declaration by congress to the eff
feet that hereafter it will not recognize
the Indians as competent to make war;
that they shall be treated not as bel
ligerents but as subjects and de-
pendent people, capable of in
surrection, rioting or disturbance
OF the peace. but not of waging war;
that the general government has the
right not only to establish schools for
Indian children, but also to- use force
to secure to these children the benefit
of these schools. The commissioner
submits that the time is at hand for an
extension to the Indians OF the protec-
ton and privileges of the courts, and
also thinks the time is near at hand
when congress should pass an enabling
act whereby the five civilized tribes
may form either territorial or state
government and be represented on the
floors of congress. The report says the
allotment of lands to Indians is making
satisfactory progress. The commits
sioner thinks the ultimate destruction
of the entire system of reservations is
inevitable.
Tie enrolment of Indian pupils for
the year ended June 80 was II, 1926, an
increase over last year of 1,549. Re
garding contract schools, the commits
sioner recommends the maintenance
of the status quo for the present,
but urges that the appropriation
of public funds for sectarian ed
ucation is contrary to the spirit
of the constitution, opposed to
public policy and ought at an early day
to be discontinued. He expressed
strong appreciation of the missionary
work done among the Indians by the
churches, and thinks the present time
is peculiarly favorable for the increase
of such work. The amount of con-
gressional appropriation for Indian ed
ucation available for the year to come
is nearly 81, $50, 900. The commission
er regards the education of the Indian
as the only solution of the Indian prob
lem