The Washington times., 1894-10-04
OUR INDIAN WARDS.
OF Theories on the Question-SpeciaI
Advancement in Education.

VI Ou tut t(uSSAlOh-op
Advancement in Education.
D. NJ Browning, Commissioner Of Indian
Affairs, has submitted his annual report for
the year ended June 80, 1894. to the secre-
tary of the Interior. The Commissioner says
no attempt is made in the report to theorizs
on the Indian question.
The year, he says. has been unmarked by
outbreak or disturbance of any kind. There
has been steady pressure of earnest work all
along the lines with satisfactory results.
Special advancement has been made in Indian
education. The aggregate enrolment for the
year has been u .451 with an average attend
ance of 1905, against 21.117 enrolment and
16,303 for the previous year
There has been an increase in the enroll
ment Of Government boarding schools on
reservations and falling Of in Government
day schools. The Commissioner notes an
educational awakening among the NavajoeS,
which he attributes 10 visit of a delegation
TO the Worlds Fair.
The defects in most Indian schools, he says,
are bad water supply and sewerage. Ths
I Commissioner says that contracts for school
ing Of Indians have been declined or reduced
wherever it could be done without depriving
the children OF school privileges.
The reduction for the past year has
amounted TO S75,715. The amount for Ro-
man Catholic schools is reduced from $685.
1855 toS35g. ais: Presbyterian, s36, $40 to none;
Congregational, SIC, ,S25 70 none.
The Commissioner saws that the field ma
/ irons among the Indians nave done good
I work but there are not vet enough Of them
10 carry civilization forward rapidly.
Patents 10 the number of !, ,2SS have been
/ issued during the year 10 Indians who have
/ taken allOtments, while 2.001 allotments have
/ been approved and 1892 have Deen submitted
/ for approval. The Commissioner says that
I the Indians realize that they must secure al
/ lotments as the best land is being taken. and
I they must adopt different mode OF life or
I perish.
During the year numerous applications
have been made from various parties for In
/ dians for exhibition purposes, but only a
! limited number have been granted because
the required bonds for the care of the Indians
have not been given. Those whose requests
have been granted are: Pawnee Bill 1S5, Buff
/ faIo Bill 125. II. s. Parkin 10 Indians and
their females. Stone of Perry, Okla, a ball
team, Buck Taylor p.
The Commissioner refers to recent deeis-
I ions. holding that Indians who held allotted
7 lands were citizens of the United States, and
not under the control of an agent, AID that
they were not included in the law prohibit
ing sales of liquor TO Indians. He quotes
Capt. Ray. acting agent at ShOshone. Wyo..
as reporting thar the advantages derived by
/ the Indians from allotments viii not compen-
safe for the evils Of opening reservations 70
/ whisky sellers.
Agent Brentano, at Grande Ronde, Ore,
reports that since the decision a very large
number of the Indians have gone OF the res
| ervation and become "gloriously drunk"
Commissioner Browning takes the same
position as his predecessors, that all Indians
are under agents of the government and
that the sale of liquor to them is a violation
of law. He says the character Of the ques-
tion makes it impossible to secure decision
from the United States Supreme Court. which
he deems unfortunate. and ''the government
is helpless to relieve the Indians OF the dan
gers they are exposed to by reason Of the at
tItude of the lower courts toward these ques-
tions"