Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-19

| O8pts fE0tS 28180 ADO06 lI8 k<0Gk q kM0cts
HE THINKS THE RESERVATION SYSTEM AT FAULT
| TOO MANY TRIBAL sOCIAIIsMs-THE EDUCATED
YOUTH HAMPERED BY THEIR IGNORANT FAM
| LIES.
Capt. R. h. Pratt tenth cavalry, the super
| intendent of the Indian school at Carlisle, Pa.
makes some interesting references to the gen.
eral topic Of the future Of the Indian and the
present method Of treatment by the govern
ment in his last annual report that are I'M
usually interesting when considered in connec-
ton with the present troubles at Pine Ridge
and the consequent agitation of the Indian
question all over the country. He says:
PASpERINa TO THE TRIBE
and its socialisms, as most of our government
and mission plans do, is the principal reason
why the Indians have not advanced more and
are not now advancing rapidly as they ought.
We easily inculcate principles of American
citizenship and self-support into the individual
in the schools located where such examples and
principles prevail. The misfortune is that the
only future TO which such youth are invited is
that OF the reservation. where their new prin-
ciples are not only most unpopular but in
many cases interdicted. 1t is common expert
! ence of our returned students to have not only
their savings carried home from the school
taken from them at once. but to be unable to
realize much of anything for themselves from
| any earnings they may make at the agencies.
| UNFORTUNATE RELATIVES AND FRIENDS.
Their relations and friends come upon them
with demands for share of their earnings and
often before they receive their pay it is all
promised in small sums to such relations and
| friends, who do not and will not work. In but
| few OF the tribes have alotments been made
and markets are remote. There is, therefore,
on the agricultural line at the agencies very lit
i 10
| factories of any kind nor commercial interests
except the few Indian traderships are allowed
upon the reservations, and there is no oppor-
tunity, outside the very limited agency needs
for them to obtain employment. They are con-
sequently at great disadvantage. The more
| these oppressive conditions become apparent
to students somewhat advanced in education
and who have experienced the better conditions
OF civilized life the more there is of
GROWING DISPOSITION TO BREAK AWAY
from the reservation and to strike out into the
world, where occupation and opportunity in
vite. In my judgment it should be the duty of
every Indian school. whether governmental or
mission, agency or remote from the agency as
well as the duty of the Indian agent and other
Indian service employees, to forward Indian
youth and worthy Indians of any age into
civilized communities and the honorable en-
pigments OF civilized life and to constantly
direct the attention of all Indians that way.
1t has been urged against industrial training
OF this and other schools that the trades taught
are OF no practical value to them on their re-
turn to their agencies. This presupposes that
the Indians are to always remain as they are in
an ignorant tribal condition If we ever get
the Indians to break up their tribal relations
| and venture out into the world as successful in
divlduals 1t must be done through training
them to various industries, so that in different
capacities they may individually feel able to
cope with the whites. When the government
and the Indians friends
| GIVE UP THE NOTION OF CONTINUED HERDING
on reservations and offer opportunities and en-
courage their Yenturing into the industries of
the country, the Indians will begin in earnest to
become men and individuals and not before.
by Tar the largest number of Indians who in
this generation will be self-supportng will be
| so not by reason of their knowledge of frac-
| lions but by their ability to do a good day' 8
work In the office or field or at the bench.
| on THE RESERVATIONS
| Very few Of those who have returned to the
reservations after three or more years with us
but are able to support themselves by labor in
any civilized community. If they do not do so
on the reservations it is the fault of the condi-
lions existing there. My inquiries show that
| our pupils returned to the reservations average
| quite as many successes as the pupils of any
other school. But this is not an encouraging
| fact as bearing upon the progress of the tribes
| toward citizenship, for the reason that even
| though all were successful, we reinforce the
tribal plan by remanding them to the reserva-
| tons and so build up separate class and race
| OF people more out OF harmony with the gov
eminent and general interests Of the country
because OF the strength gained by education
| No duty rests upon eithec the government or
charitable people to create so-called nations
! like the Cherokees Creeks and others. where
the freedom and rights of the individual are
chained to socialism and crushed by oligarchy
A special school system for each tribe. whether
arranged after our state public school systems
| or along church and mission school lines or
both, vii. segregate and weld the tribes into
separate and petty nations surely in the
future AS it has done in the past. On the con-
trary, If the youth of the tribes are sent into
our already organized public school systems
and from these encouraged to associate and to
join in their interests with the nation at large
tribal socialism, with all their perplexing clogs
and expense to the government. will soon merge
into and disappear in the body polite of the
country.
TO BUILD INDIANS IN.
citizenship will be learned only by expert
ence. Nearly well expect to get the spirit
of American citizenship into the negroes in
mass in Africa as to try to get it into the In
influence of tribal surroundings. Government
money ut least ought to be used to build the
Indians into the United States not to build
| them out of it, The result Of education ought
| " DC citiZeHsilp NOT 10 remand cltlZen-
ship to the future and render its consumma-
ton more difficult One course of treatment
leads 1000. 900 of the black race to universally
demand American citizenship and another
course Of treatment leads ESQ, 900 of the red
race to universally reject American citizen
ship. History will record that the driving
back and reservating course pursued toward
| the red race far exceeded the other in gross
inhumanty.
''Ihe argument used by some self-consti-
tuted friends of the Indians. which has been so
potent in recalling Indian youth from the
many opportunities of busy civilized sur
roundings to their homes and the tribes so bar
rem OF opportunities, that we are separating
and breaking up familiesis. i'll the light of con-
ditions in America, most weak and absurd No
American family feels divided with its mem
bers scattered from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
and very few really progressive families but
| are 80 scattered"
| Gov. Boyd Recognized.
| By a vote of IA to Is the Nebraska senate
on Saturday passed resolution recognizing
James Z. BOYD as governor without preiudice