The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-09
THE LAKE MOHoNK PLATFORM.

Unintelligent Censure of the Indian
 Bureau, and for Forgetting "the
 Everyday Indian"
 l was greatly disappointed that I could not go to Mohonk wanted more than ever to be there this year, for the needs of the general Indian work have been pressing upon me very much of late. l desired exceedingly to bring some of them, which have come under my observation recently, to the at tention of the conference. But when saw it's platform I was glad enough that I was not there, for I certainly should have gotten into trouble
 It may be seem quite inexcusable in one who has received so many mani festations of kindness from Mohonk conferences as I have and especially at it's last session, to indulge in any criticisms of what it chose to do when l was not there. But if what it omitted to do were all, I should have content ed myself with regrets. It is more because what it's members did do is charged with injustice to individuals and so misdirects public attention that I, who think that I know more of the
 
 the makers of that platform, have got the idea that it would not be honor able in me to pass in silence these un- deserved denunciations.
 What did they do? I speak of the platform they published to the world It denounced the Indian bureau and the Indian commissioner as the source of all the remaining evils in the service and declared that the one great need is the abolition of that bureau and putting it's work on others. And all the work to which it pledged the conference for the coming year is this: We now appeal to the people of the | United States to demand of their gov ernment that the Indian bureau be taken out of politics." and it's work turned over to experts. Nothing more. Now it may be a need that the bureau be taken out of politics. I will not argue that question at this time with the makers of this platform, but, ieav- ing my record on civil service reform alongside of theirs. 1 make bold to say that this is not the only need, and is by far the least of all the needs of the Indian work for the coming year. l have known agreat many admins i trations of the Indian service, both in the bureau and the department, and I i have never known either cleaner, more ably or more wisely conducted, of ac- complaining more good for the Indian, l than these as now conducted. Yet that platform has not a word for either l but indiscriminate denunciation. I WY hp GaUara1 during the week before the confer ence, and knew of an earnest desire | and intention on his part of attend l ing it for the very purpose of calling it's attention to some of the present l needs of the work. He was only pre- | vented from so doing at the last | moment endeavoring, elsewhere, to | prevent an Indian war. the seeds of which were sown by former adminis-
 tration, in which endeavor he seems 1 to have succeeded.
 | These generals denunciations of the | bureau are attemnted to be supported | by two specifications only, for neither 1 of which is the Indian commissioner nor the bureau any more responsible | than I am. The first of these is the appointment Of a new superintendent of Indian schools in place of Dr. Hall-
 man. But who did this? The presi- 1 dent, and not the bureau nor the commissioner Nor was it done be- l cause the Indian bureau is in politics. | The appointment was independent of | the bureau or it's wishes. It would | have been done all the same had our
 good friend Smiley himself been com-
 missioner of Indian affairs. I cannot tell why the president did it. I only | know that there was presented to 1 him a request to do it of a character | deserving of the highest consideration. It was brought here to me to sign, and, while did not sign it,I was astonished 1 at the array of names on it. There
 were on it the names of well-nigh all | the distinguished men friendly to the l administration from every part of the l country, in and out of the public ser i vice I have never seen a paper of like
 purpose containing so many names of
 prominence and influence in all walks l in life, and not only their names but
 personal recommendations as we'll | New England was more completely
 represented that I ever knew it before
 It is strange that he was influenced by
 such men? He may have made mis- | take. but it was his and not that of | the Indian bureau.
 The other charge is the outrages
 which came so near bringing on an In dian war. These outrages came down | from former administrations of the bu- 1 reau and were in process of revision
 and correction in the bureau under it's present management at the time | the commission was being criticised at Mohonk for the deeds of others and l was by personal endeavor among the | Indians averting war bequeathed to | him. And yet their only suggestion is 1 that he and his bureau must be abol-