The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-12-12
DISCUSSION OF The INDIAN QUESTION
schools for Children and Tribal Relations
The Sioux WAR


The report of the secretary of the interior
shows that very gratifying progress has been
made in all of the bureaus which make up that
complex, difficult department. The work IN
the Bureau OF Indian Affairs was perhaps never
so large as now, by reason of the numerous ne
gotlatiOnS W hich h have been proceeding vii the
tribes for a reduction of the reservations, with
the incident labor of making allotments, and
was never more carefully conducted.
The provision of adequate school fu-
ciltieS for indian children, ana the
locating of adult Indians upon farms
involve the solution of the "Indian question
Everything else-rations, annuities, and tribal
negotiations with the ascn's, inspectors and
commissioners who distribute AMI conduct
them-muSt pass away when the Intiun has be
come a citizen. secure in the individual owner
ship of a tarm from which he derives
his subsistence by his own labor. projected
by and subordinate 10 the laws which
govern the white man, and provided by the gen
eral government or by the local communities in
which he lives with the means of educating his
children. When an Indian becomes citizen in
an organized state or territory his relation 10
the general government ceases. in great meas
ure. to be that OF Il ward but the general govern
mcnt ought not at once put upon the state or
territory the burden of the education of his
children. 1t has been my thought that the
government schools and school buildings upon
the reservations would be absorbed by the school
systems of the states and territories but as
il has been found nee, ssary to protect the In
dian against the compulsory alienation OF his
land by eXempt1ng him from taxation for Il
period of twenty five years, ii would seem to he
right that the general government, certainly
where there are tribal funds in its possession
should pay to the school fund OF the state what
would be equivalent TO the local school tax
upon the property of the Indian. 1t will be
noticed from the report of the commissioner OF
Indian affairs that already some contracts have
been made with district schools Tor the
education of Indian children. There is
great advantage, / think. in bringing the In
dian children into mixed schools. This prog
will be gradual, and i'll the meantime the
present educational provisions and arrange
mentS, the result of the best experience of those
who have been charged with this work should
be continued. This viii! enable those religious
bottles that have undertaken the work of In
dian education with much zeal and with re-
suits so restraining and beneticent, TO place
their institutions in new and useful relations to
he Indian and 10 his white neghborS
The outbreak among the Sioux, which Oc-
CURED in December last, is as to its causes and
incidents fully reported upon by the War De
partment and the Department of the Interior.
That these Indians had some Just complaints,
especially in the matter of the reduction of the
appropriation for rations and in the delays at
tending the enactment of laws to enable the de-
partment TO perform the engagements entered
into with them, is probably true: but the Sioux
tribes are naturally wsrlike and turbulent.
and their warriors were excited by their
medicine men and chiefs who preached the
coming of an Indian Messiah, who was to give
them power TO destroy their enemies. In view
of the alarm that prevailed among the white
settlers near the reservation and of the fatal
consequences that would have resulted from an
Indian incursiOn, | placed at the disposal of
Gen. Miles, commanding the division OF the
Missouri, all sucn forces rs were thought by
him 10 be required. lie is entitled to the credit
of having given thorough protection to the set
tiers and OF bringing The hostiles into subjec-
ton with the least possible loss of life.
The appropriation Of S299l,i iS0 for the Choc-
taws and ChickasawS, contained in the Indian
appropriation bill OF March g. lS9l has not been
expended, tor the reason that have not yet ap
proved release to the government of the In
dian claim TO the lands mentioned. This mat
ter VIII be made the subject OF special mes
sage. placing before Congress Ill the facts which
have come to my knowledge.
The relation of the five civilized tribes now
occupying the Indian territory to the nited
States is not, believe. that best calculated to
promote the highest advancement of these In
dianS That there should be within our bor-
GcrS five independent states having no rela-
tionS except those growing out of treaties with
The government of the | nited States no repre-
sentation in the national legislature its people
not citizens. is a startling anomaly.
1t seems TO me 10 be inevitable that there shall
be before long some organic changes i'll the re-
lation cf these people to the United States.
What form these changes should take | do not
think il desirable now to suggest, even if they
were well defined in my own mind. They should
certainly involve the acceptance OF citizenship
by the lnd;ans and representation in Congress.
These Indians should have opportunity To pre-
sent their claims and grievances upon the floor
rather than now, in the lobby. If a commits
sion could he appointed to visit these tribes to
confer with them in friendly spirit upon this
whole subject, even If no agreement were pres
emily reached, the feeling of the tribes upon
this question would be developed, and the re-
suit of the discussion would be changes which
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