The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-11-24
ON INDIAN AFFAIRS
Commissioner Jones Makes His An
nual Report About Redskins.
THE EDUCATION OF THE INDIANS.
The Administration of the Schools and
Orphan AsyIums In the Indian Terri
tory Arraigned-Chippew Out
break OF Last Autumn.

Washington, Nov 2O-The annual
report of the commissioner of Indian
affairs, William A. Jones, besides re-
viewing the progress of affairs in all
branches of the service, urges more
schools, more systematic methods,
study of individual traits and consid-
GRAFTON of subsequent environment in
outlining studies in the Indian schools.
The entire educational system of the
Indian Office, he says, is predicated
upon the final adjustment of the
anamolous Indian reservation system.
There are now 20, 522 boys and girls in
attendance on the various Indian
schools out of an enrolment of over
rs, 900.
The Indian population has remained
stationary and there has been such
steady increase in the number of In
dams being educated as to warrant the
opinion that the next quarter century
will witness not n diminution of the
Indian population, but an extinguish-
ment of Indian tribes. One discourage
ing factor, however, is disclosed by the
unsatisfactory res ults of the past nine
years trial of co-education of the In
dams with the whites in the public
schools. The report says the results
of this co-education are not common
surate with the expenditure; that the
idea theoretically is an admirable ex-
pedient for breaking down prejudices
and civilizing the Indian, but the
figures show it is not an unqualified
success. The full-blood, who needs
such contact most, is rarely secured
and the ground work at least of Indian
education must be laid under the
governments auspices and control.
stronger measures for forcing the at
tendance on Indian schools are urged.
There are 1852 employees in the Indian
service, and the policy is to employ In
dians In every position to which they
are adapted by nature and education.
A thorough and exhaustive investiga-
ton of the Seminoles in Florida has
resulted in the discontinuance of the
Offices of industrial teacher and other
employees and no school will be eStab-
hshed for them at present, their real
and fancied wrongs have embittered
them against governmental assistance.
Concerning the Indian territory, the
report severely arraigns nepotism, lack
of management, demoraliZed conditions
and deplorable state of affairs gener-
ally in administering the schools and
orphan asylums OF the five Indian ma
tons Out of 81 boarding schools. not
more than four of the superin tendents
are reported competent to teach the
ordinary English branches, and finan-
cial mismanagement is especially com
planned of. Reporting on the Chippe-
wa outbreak of last autumn, Commits
sioner Jones saws:
For many years Chippewas have been arrest
ed and taken from theg ZONES to st. Paul and
other points as witnesst"r or as offenders chiefly
In WHISKY cases. Often wholesale arrests have
been made solely for the fees which would
accrue TO the oficials. Indians have been
helped to obtain whisky by the very ones who
arrested them for using IT, In some cases In
dans carried of to court have been left to get
back home as best they would. The whole mat
ter OF arrests by deputy marshals had come TO
be farce, fraud, and a hardship to the Chip
pewas and disgrace to the community, But
neither does this by itself explain the outbreak
When delegation OF Chippewas visited Wash
lnRton last winter their most bitter complaint
was about injustice in the use OF their funds and
frauds In the disposition OF their timber. All
these and other minor influences wrought to-
gether to produce the general feeling Of oppres-
sion ana diStrust and eXusperatiln which found
expression when the arrests were undertaken
by the aid of military force