The sun., 1891-01-29
INDIANS As FARMERS.
Can the Red Nea Become seir.surportine
BY TilliuE the Gronna and RnisInR stock

By TiniuE the Grouns and Raising stock
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2s.-Perhaps no part OF
the Indian problom gives rice to a greater
variety OF opinion than the fitness Of tho
ahoriGines for an agricultural career. 1t Is
generally admitted that this form OF labor or
that Of raising cattle and horses 10 about all
that Is Just now generally open to them. SO
that tho question whether they are adapted to
1t also Involves the question whether the res
ervation and ration system. which is practi.
cally that Of the aln,shouse, Is fixed necessity.
1t is fair. to begin with. to note that the In
oians are not on an slunl footing with white
men for testing their adaptability to farm work.
Tho very fact that their sales OF lands have
produced annuities largely paid In food and
other necessaries. removes the stimulus to
labor which the danger OF starvation imposes
on whte men. The inherited notion OF the
lack OF dignity in labor, and OF tho duty of
those who cannot fight TO drudge for those who
can, Is second drawback. and still another ia
the meagreness Of tho Indians wants. But. In
addition to these hindrances. there are special
ones not 80 often considered.
Very large portions Of tho reservations arc
totally unit for agricultural purposes. Ac-
cordingly. the Indians are scattered on the fer
tile spots. and some OF these small farming
settlements on largo reservations nre fifty or
perhaps one hundred miles from the agency
Headquarters. This fact makes II difficult for
the AGENCY farmers to give instructions. Ono
North Dakota agent finds that his Indians are
scattered along the river for twenty miles on
both banks. and that tho agency farmer has to
swim his horse ncross the stream back and
forth In making his visits. The distance of tho
indians from the agency also makes 1t hnrd
Tor them to 90 for supplies leaving crops and
cattle to cure for themselves. Sometimes they
4 "a al I'D
| purpose through winter storms or summer
heat. Their supplies should be convenient"
says Commissioner Morgan. "and it should not
be necessary for them to drop their farm work
AZ critical time anu travel one hundred miles
d9nGh asd II sub stations were
smith shop, with an Indian blacksmith in
Natsiis = the i've i've sviissi tribes tribes the latest
statistics OF farming, by Indians, crops nngaih
we're 2s farms or families ser snEaseG s sVHl IN rm tnsn.
| ing. +96,7sl acI es under cnce, 2G9.355 acres
ast hs 81
G47.so2 Of Vegetables There were cut il03;2
nads As 70 the stock owned BY indians. t lin in
s!udss 45SGs7 horses ss apd mules l5s774 cattle;
o~s Te Sna SSs
many Indians. and l.l36 who never farmed
before made u neginning last year. The In
winterinG their stock by erecting shelters for
work horses. brood mares aud cattle, and put
But after al, faIr il" inference from tho re-
ports OF the agents is that the raising OF stock
cattle and hoi ses. instead Of farming. must bs
their own resources. In Dakota some reports
are that that the InIians have not been very
during the last year 55 WyominE
there must BE- great climatic changes. If the
indians are ever to mako farming their chief
| INDUSTRY, or 0ls0 there must be IRRIGATION. In
Nevada. tho climate and soil are not even as
and Is New Mexoo tts fssidss stock Ar
coast States tho conditions are more favorable
for farming but last winter was hard on the
Territory the r'pots have been more ans arorl
able: and OF course, the civilized tribes look
out for themselves.
that stock raising is more promising at pres
ent MS an employment for the red mon than
farming; that when the latter is to be prose-
cuted there should be n system Of small COM
munities on fertile spots. with supplies con
veyed directly to them, and with a repair shop
large inaiy that as white Viii men Ind H it u nec.s. s.
sary to combine in costly schemes OF irrigation
the Goyernment ,o, must do something {, OF the
farmers of any great number Of them. The
ovcrnment can also aid thom in some other
sum 81 VAS paf to shf indian IL.
ployees at agencies and $4,000 more TO such
employees at schSos 30 ds For logs cut and banked
other !suunlies, and for breaking land they re-
c"iyed s66.OOO more: For hauling supplies
to M
should be given to Indians to furnish hay
be further gains: But the obstaces in the Wa,
of farming should not be forgotten In trying t(
carry out ssveralty allotment while more en-
couragements to stock raising are In order.