Arizona weekly citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Ariz) 1880-1901, 1891-10-17
HERBERT BROWN Manager
INDIAN AFFAIRS.

The commissioner ot Indian affairs
in his annual report, says the San
Francisco Bulletin, holds that the
breaking up of reservations, the destrnc-
tion of the agency system, the allot-
ment of land in seveialty and educa-
tion in civilized way will in time ac-
complish the ends in view. At present
they involve some trouble and danger TO
the Indians, by making them the sub
iects of experiments and radical chan
ges. The commissioner fully recog-
nizes the impolicy of reserylng mil
lions Of acres for Indian reservations,
with civilization constantly crowding
up on them. There is no place for such
a system under present conditions.
The public will undoubtedly agree
with the commissioner that the Indians
should no longer be recognized as bel
iigerents. 1t is time that when they
break out and murder peaceable citl-
zens or United States officers or soldiers
sent to take charge OF them, they should
be made amenable TO the law OF the
land. not treated as independent ma
tions capable of making war and peace.
There are hundreds of Apaches IN An
zona who should have been hanged long
ago for their crimes, instead OF being
coddled by the government. Within
the year an Indian who deliberately as
sassinated an army officer during the
Sioux trouble in Dakota, was cleared
by the United States Court on the plea
ofssthe existence of ''state of war"
The commissioners suggestion about
the formation or a state or territorial
government by the Choctaws, Chero- |
KEGS, Chickasaws, Creeks and Semlnoles
will probably excite quite as much In
dian as white discussion. There Is con
siderable mixture Of white blood among
these tribes, especially IN the case OF the
Cherokees. Some of it is of a pretty |
bad strain-that of men who have |
left white civilization for the kgood Of
their neighters. The territory has been |
a harbor for hard cases for years. Prob |
ably the extension Of the jurisdiction OF |
federal courts and officials over tie In |
diaus consequent uPoa the election OF |
territorial government would have |
favorable effect, but the Indians you'd |
require some years of tutelage under !
that condition before being prepared to |
resume the powers and responsibilities |
of statehood.
The commissioner suggests that The |
time mas coma 10 ADMIT the Gu0DiO III /
dams to full citizenship as contemplated |
by the treaty provided that these and
other Indians should be SO admitted /
whenever in the judgment Of congress
they should bs fitted for the change. |
AS the the matter is left entirely to the |
discretion of congress there is really no |
question of treaty rights involved. |
Some of the Pueblos are fitted for citi-
zenship within a reasonable interpreta |
tion; more of them are not, and most of
them care nothing about it. In 1857 |
Chief Justice Slough, of New Mexico
declared the Pueblos to he citizens OF
the United States under the treaty, out
his decision apparently carried little
weight with it, as the laws OF the terri
tory deprive them of the suffrage. Per
aaps the sensible way to dispose of this
matter gould be TO leave it to the initI-
ative OF individuals. bject to the usual
Judicial examination, Ss in the case of
other applicants for citizenship, after
general declaratory act by congress to
cover the case
Regarding Indian education the COM
missioner recommends the maintenance
of the status at present, but urges at
the earliest convenient time the disCcn
tInuance cS~government aid 10 sectarian
schools.