The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-18
mustn't CHEAT HIM.
Interests of Indians Guarded at
Washington.
Everything Done to Advance
Their Civilization.
CLEYELAND'S POLICY.
It is to Break Up the Tribal
Relations.

WASHINGTON, May 1s.-The policy of
the administration regarding the In
dams indicated in the presidents letter
to the Dawes commission is not to
hasten the consummation of citizenship
by the Indians until they are ready to
exercise properly and intelligently its
rights. This is due to the interest
taken by the president and Secretary
Smith in the welfare of these wards of
the nation, and the fear that those
who have not yet attained a sufficient
degree of civilization and intelligence
to protect tn emselves would be merci-
1essly cheated out of their possessions
by shrewd and interruptions white
men.
The ultimate solution of the Indian
problem, the president believes, lies in
the breaking up of the existing tribal
relations and the allotment of the In
dian lands to individual owners, to-
gether with an assumption of citizen
ship by all the Indians. But this can
only be accomplished gradually. The
president has been consistent friend
of the Indian, and all the decisions
rendered by Secretary Smith in carry
ing out the we'll defined policy Of the
administration have sustained the
stipulations of the treaties. Speaking
of the matter yesterday Sc cretary
Smith said:
SIT has been the policy of the inte-
rior department to act as the friend of
the Indians in all their disputes with
white men. I have recently rendered
decisions in which declare that none
of the treaty provisions can be over
thrown by any. general terms con-
tanned in an act of congress. Commits
sions appointed to investigate matters
relating to the Indians and to treat
with them regarding the disposition of
their lands are given to understand
that they are to act as the friends OF
the Indians, and not as the representa-
tives of white men, who desire possess
sion of these lands.
s'In my annual report urged treat
ment of the Indian land based solely
upon the purpose of realizing from it
for it's owners the highest possible
value. If the mem bers of a tribe have
reached a state sufficiently civilized to
be able to progress still further by sell
ing a portion of their land, then sales
should be made, but the land should
not be purchased from the Indians
at the best bargain the u nited States
can make. It should be sold for
the Indians by the United States,
the government acting as the faith
full trustee, and obtaining for
the Indians every dollar that the land
will bring The policy of the govern
ment and of the department should be
| to recognize the land of the Indian
reservation as the property of the par
ticular Indians who own it. The diff
ferent lands should be studied, to see
how best their value can be increased,
and how they can be rendered most
| profitable.
This is the policy the administers
ton is endeavoring to pursue. We are
doing everything to hasten the civil
cation of the Indian. We are improv-
ing their schools, and in other ways
are endeavoring to prepare them fol
citizenship. But in instances where
Indians. have been willing to accept
allotments of land, but in the opinion
of the department have not been able
to protect such lands from the shrewd
| people surrounding them, we have re
fused to make the allotments."