The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-06-06

Tor tho best men for the Office"
aside from tho Lake Mohonk con-
ference, doctor, what other organiza-
tions are there whose aim it is to be-
friend the Indian?"
There is an Indian Rights associa-
ton, with headquarters at Philadel-
phia, under the secretaryship of Her
bert WEIGH. Then there is Ladies'
Indian Rights association of which
Miss Quinton is president. Then there
are, throughout the country, local as
socations in connection with these two
central national bodies. All three So
cieties agree, substantially, as to what
shall be done for the Indian. Some
years ago there was society called
The Indian Defense association
which fought to maintain the rcserva-
tion system, and published newspaper
for the advancement of its views, but
l think that has disbandcd.
The character of the Indian legisla-
ton during Gen. Harrison administra-
ton is not easy to define. The main
question was that of increasing the APP
preparations for the schools They were
increased, perhaps, as fast as it could
be reasonably expected. But another
thing that the Indian very much needs
is some extension of the courts to pro-
tect his rights, on one hand, and to
make him amenablc to law on the
other. My Judgment is that plan should
be carried out by the appointment of
police justices by the federal Judges
and the protection and judicial admin
istration of the Indians should be in
trusted to these branches of the federal
courts.
Il believe moreover that the sooner
the Indian is treated like any other
man, the better. / am in favor of max
ing them citizens. At one time there
were some complications in the Five
Tribes which made it difficult, il not
impossible, for us to force them to take
that action. But, if they are ready for
citizenship, we ought to be ready for
it. The whole Indian problem would
be solved in a moment if the nation
would treat the red man as we treat
any other.
''The result of experiments, on
large scale, have shown the Indians to
be amenable to government, to be good
soldiers and Industrious workers do
not believe in any mans power to sit in
his own library and form an a priori
conception of what is the possible de-
velopment of somebody else. Let every
man, white, black and red, have free
chance to grow and make what he can
of himself. The result alone can de
termine what his power of growth and
development is"
"Do you think the Indian is trcach-
Grouse"
mo. He has been. on the whole.
&c., i
whites than the whites have been in
dealing with him. And as to that re-
mark about dead Indian. apart from
further considerations, the statistics
conclusivcly show that it costs the
government great deal less to edu-
cate the Indian and make him self-sup-
porting than it does to either kill him
or support him in dlencss. AS far as
work and the desire for work are con-
ccrned Indians are like most white
folks-somc do and some don't like to
work. There is as much difference be-
tween the different tribes of Indians
as there is between the different classes
OF whites. They have made very good
police, good agriculturists, they have
been successful in caring for stock
and, where they have had the proper
advantages, they have made them
selves efficient in mechanical and in
dustrial pursuits of various kinds
The social future of the Indian may
he forescen in his incipient tendency
to intermarry and gradually be alb
Sorbcd in the white race. That he
will continue to SO intcrmarry more
and more I am convinced. Tn
0Ouhtn1lv thara aro ,n,n,- c,,oI,
riagcs contracted at the present time"
How are Indians taught rcligion?"
''The Catholics have extensive mis-
sions among the Indians. and so have
the Protestant denominations. Hithcr-
to, most of the schools ;havc been mis-
sionary schools. AS they become sec
ular schools, carried on by the feder-
al government, the churches will have
to concentrate their work on churches
and Sunday schools instead Of on sec
ular education. In the east the
Hampton school in Virginia is private
enterprise, having relations with
the government, which sends In
dians there and pays for their
tuition. 1t has to raise fifty
thousand dollars every year in order to
carry on its work, and there is no bet
ter cause ever presented to the people
than this school. There is another
school under Capt. Pratt at Carlisle,
Pa. Then there are number of
schools in the west, besides the schools
on the reservations themselves. and
which arc cared for by the government,
also schools of private enterprise. In
these schools the Indians are taught
the rndirncnts OF English education,
also industrial pursuits. But some Of
the schools carry out the industrial
training better than others because
they are better couipDed