The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-14
POLITICAL VIEWS ABOUT INprANs.

POLITICAL VIEWS ABOUT INDIANS.
We have quoted at some length Senator
Geo, g. Vest and the reason il obvious. No
one can speak more knowingly or be better
qualified to Judge fairly Of the merits or
dement's of the system than he who off,
cially inspected it, and with IN unbiased
mind examined personally into its work
ings and practical results. The conclusions
arrived at by the honorable senator
through his personal observations and the
independent and impartial expression OF
his convictions in the United States senate,
a. we'll AZ the interest taken by him in the
welfare Of the Indian races, were instru-
mental in securing for the Catholic Indian
schools in Montana and elsewhere q more
liberal policy IN the part OF the United
States government.
Things, however, have been changing Of
late and q narrow. bigoted and, let me say
the word, anti-Catholic spirit with regard
to Indian schools IN now abroad under the
name of non-sectarianism. II 10 manifest
from the official utterances and public acts
of the present minister of Indian affairs
that the system of UNCONVENTIONAL schools,
despite its satisfactory results and compar-
itively low cost to the government, is to be
snnsl'e Of Senator ny = v nsx . Snil eoss Il. y e oSe
eminent millions upon millions of dollars.
without any Improbable results" (See
Congressional Record, July %, 1850
What is the substance Of the new scheme
inauguratsd BY the present Indian admin
istration? II is to establish among the
schools, whore no religion 10 to be taught
and whore the Indians are to
be educated by the government
and government employees to the
exclusion Of all religious societies or de-
nominations and all religious influence.
lfch{n In tho ~ a. n aim ~ p1n-nontn rim niavn in
Indian education, as understood and v
Gated by its promoters. And what are the
Indians to be taught in the new system?
Well, q great many and wonderful things.
Zone of the chief defects says the honor
able Indian commissions in his official re-
port, (which have characterized the efforts
made for their education has been the fail
ure to carry them far enough so that they
might compete (the Indian yOuths) with
the white youths who have enjoyed the far
greater advantages OF our own system of
education. Higher education" says the
essential to them than it is for white chill
dren. '''The high school, ''says he further on,
page SO, should lift the Indian students
on to 80 high a plane Of thought and aspi-
ration as to render the life of the camp in
tolerable to them. The Indian high school,
from the dosolation of the reservation into
assimilation with our national life. The
Indian YOUTH" says he in another place,
Should be instructed in their rights, privi-
lsgss and duties as American citizens.
They should be taught 10 love the American
flag. They, should DO imbusd with genuine
patriotism" and again, ''they should be
initiated into the laws of the great natural
forces, heat, electricity, ETC.. in their appli--
cation to the arts and appliances of civilized
life. There is an urgent need among
Them" declares the honorable commits
sioner. "for a GLASS of leaders of thought,
lawyers, physicians, preachers, teachers.
editors, statesmen and men of letters, ETC."
This, then, 10 the goal it is proposed to
reach by the new system OF Indian educa-
ton. We are now some twenty-five years
connected with the cause of the red man
and his education in Montana, and with
the knowledge and experience WI have of
these people, their nature. their condition,
their habits and peculiaritiss, the aims of
the honorable commissions are to US poet
ical reading, az amusing as 1T 10 drOll. 1t
is not only touches, but dwells in the re-
gions of the moon-man, n is too high.
high enough, as said, to be mooney, and it
can not. in consequence, reach or be
reached BY the real, live Indian Of the
plains. We might mere quote and add to
Hon. Vest and Jones, of Arkansas, several
other members of the United States senate
whose views and opinions Oh the subject
are entirely at variance with those OF the
AOAOI uDtCW \p0O ~
g%ressional Record July %. 1890 We
might also quote the expert
ence of a number of men whose
whole lives were devoted to the work of civ
ilizing and educating the Indians, but we
think it unnecessary. The plan of Indian
education advocated by the honorable COM
missioner and his supporters seems to US
its own best refutation. We only observe
that to make the indian schools nonsec-
tartan, as the word goes. is simply to elm
mate Christianity from Indian education,
and to eliminate Christianity from Indian
education is to eliminate the one factor
without which the civilization of the red
man is mn, utter impossibility. Without
Christianity the task 10 the most wretchedly
hopeless one. Material means are certainly
necessary, enthusiasm and philanthropy
may assist; but what Is to render material
resources real means OF civilization
lies outside themselves and Chris
tianity alone can supply. Enthusi-
asm is impotent, and soon cools
down in the face of the stern realities and
undreamed of difficulties to be met with at
every step, in a work that il as univiting as
itsis slow and irksome, and beyond the Of
fciency Of mere natural energies. Again,