The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1892-10-27
GEN. MOKGAN'S
r. P0RTASt COMMISSIONER or THE
INDIANS.
lie Fav0rs Dissolution of the Tribal
ia!ions, Thereby Re-
m.Fing.
iip fnripuS A~ru and Iu-,uu.-t Pea
Tie FariouS Acrn les antl lurcau'-A Pea
for the Inr ura@ rirut of indu, rics
An Iit.rrs,i, = r0IuEl n.

w AsHING~uY, Sept. 30.-General L. j.
Morgin, commissioner OF Indian affairs,
has submitted to the secretary OF the IN
terror his fourth annual report, The
document is gu tie volumnous. 1t dis
ca~scs all tn" principal TOPICS embraced
in the matter OF Indian administration
and gives a general view o! tie work nc
complished, not on.y during the present
year, but during the three years en-
blaced IN his administration. The fol
lowing is a brief synopsis of the most
salient features OF the report
The government has Il well defined
policy o. dealing with the Indian, the
outcome Of more than !. century OF ex-
Iperience and OF discussion, the essential
one phrase American citizo nship" Cit-
izen-hip, accompanied by the allotment
OF lands necessarily looks toward the
ent re destruction OF the tribal relation
and The dealing with the Indians as in.
dvidua!s. II will destroy the whole
a agency system and eventually do away
with the necessity of an Indian bureau.
THE evils connected with the agency
system aie nseparable from the anonia-
| lous condition OF the Indians and
are to he corrected not by
modification of the system but 10y tho
ultimate de'truct on. Citizenship is to
lie con erred upon all the Indians but
it should he done intelligcn>ly. Citizen
ship is simply opportunity TO confer
upon an uneducated Indian, ignorant of
the Eng ish language and unac,u toned
TO Amer can ways, the ull privileges of
betty. does not necessarily carry with
iii any advantage docs not change his
nature, con ers upon him no new
faculties, does not increase his intelli-
desires lie should lie prepared Tor this
great change in his status by education.
ARMY cosTRoL DIsAPPGovED.
The plan detailing army officers to
take charge Of Indian agencies is iuly
discussed and disapp,oved Generals
W. 7. Sherman, w. S Harvey, A IL.
Terry and {. {. Augur are quoted as
saying: If we intend to have war with
them the bureau siiouid 20 10 the sec
rotary oil war II we intend to have
peace it should be i'll the civil DEPART
ment The chiei duty OF the bureau
Is to educate and instruct in the peace
Indians. The military arm OF the gov
eurment is not the most admira ly
adapted 10 discharge the duties OF this
character
There is given an historical survey O.
the evolution o the Indian agent. After
a prolonged and car-tul consideration o
the subject OF law and co olrts or the In
dams the comm ,ssioner concludes that
it is no. desirable to formulate any
especial system. The Indians OF New
York. Michigan the five civilized tribes,
the Pueb.os. oil New Mexico the Mission
Indians, OF California. and those who are
not on any reservation scattered through |
Nevada, California and other states, |
could not be brought under such a |
system. The comni sioner continues: |
The thousands who are taking their |
lands in the severalty and acqu ring cit
come under the opera; ION Of
the laws in their several states, while |
the Apaches and some ol the more tur-
tulent tribes are not prepared or any |
elaborate legal System. The rules Tor
the Indian courts lave been care ully
revised, giving TO them larger jurisiic-
ton and placing them on higher plane
II is thought that these Will serve or
all practical purposes until the process
of allotment has teen compl ted.
HALr-DEEEDs NOT CITIZENS.
The report discusses qu te full the
question, What is an Indian? and con
tioverts stoutly the position that the
common law principle is applicable to
Indians that tie offspring oil free per-
Ell. Tho = f., |
md prevails in determining the status
, the children born OF white man,
,itizen OF the United States, and an In
Ian woman. his viii. The commIs-
,ioner dos not think that children Of
such parents are Therefore, 10y birth
cot Indians, but citizens of the United
States" lie thinks TIE question
hould lie determined not by the
COMMON rule nor upon chronological
rounds. but upon historical considera-
ion. The law OF descent must be de-
ermined not after Roman or English
,recedents but in accordance with In
liam usage and our American administra-
i've sanction. Any other CONCLUSION
now as 10 a binding rule,
laving retroactive consequences, would
SSuib iit anu |
nents. disreparding vested rights and
confusion into the entire
indian que ton. a system has been
on the Indian reservations
, opening and constructing roads and
highways similar in character to those
n use among civilized communities.
special pains have been taken and
,reat progress is being made in
lie encouragement o. industries and
though the work IS slow, great progress
S being made among the Indians in
heir systematic remunerative labor.
Iore than 5000 600 are being expended
" tn. Crow reservation in Montana in
he development OF system oi irriga-
ion, and more than $4,000 are being
expended tor the same purpose on other
e. ervations. An irrisating canal is also
,eing built through the Fort Hall res
rvalion. Ten thousand head OF stock
attle have been purchased and dis
ributed among the Sioux Indians who
re taking a lively interest in stock rails
Nc.