Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-12
COST OF THE INDIANS
EXPENDITURE FROM 1850 HAS BEEN
OVER $3.50, 100000.
The Reds Number About 267 300, OF
Whom 45,27O Receive Daily
Ration.

utdn Affairs WILLIAM Solico SiAo"c eiASA@
the total expenditure by the government
on account of the Indian service from
March 4. 1889, up to and including July 80.
1900 has been 1858, 35S.2l7. The expendi-
lures for the fiscal year ended last July
amounted to s1O175,1O7. OF this amount at
least s., $50, 900 was devoted to the cause OF
Indian education.
The report reviews the change In the
system of transporting supplies by which
supplies are shipped in open market by
common carrier at tariff or better rates.
and estimates that this saves 20 per cent
in cost Under the head Of obstacles to
self-support of the Indians, the report dep
recates the ration system. annuity pay
nents and the leasing of allotments. The
ration system, says the report, IS the corol-
larry of the reservation system.
The Indian population of the United
States is about 2,7 800 of whom 1920 re-
ceive a daily ration The ration issued ana
It's value vary according to the triDe: Near
ly twO-thirds of the number receiving ra-
lions belong to the great Sioux nation
The ration has been gradually reduced III
the past few years in accordance with the
policy of the Indian bureau III the m
dams claim for full rationS as right Is
conceded the commissioner predicts that
the time when they will be selt-supportlils
lies in the very distant future, II II comes
at all. A number of the Indians also are
eral agencies the old and INDECENT are pro
vided for. These aggregate about l29io
Altogether there are 900 Indians receiV =
ing subsistence in some degree exclusive OF
Indian children in boarding schools Inc
commissioner urges that the indiscrlmlnate
issue of rations should stop at once
Indian Funds Drawing Interest.
"T-here is now in the treasury to the
| credit of Indian tribes S33. 81 5000. draw
ing interest at the rate of and per cent,
| the annual interest amounting to Sl646,-
| 4s5 96 Besides this several of the tribes
have large incomes from leasing and other
sources 1t Is a safe prediction that SO
long as these funds exist they Will De tne
prey of designing people.
'"rhe ultimate disposition of the lndlan
trust funds is subject for the most serl-
Gus consideration. In some cases tney are
small and in others very large. Win re-
spect to the former they can, as rule. be
Maid ont to the Indians with little, If any.
evil consequences. With respect to the
latter their proper disposition is more dl1n-
| cult 1t is admitted that great wealth Is a
source of weakness to any lndlan tribe ana
productive of much evil.
| Two remedies have been suggested: First,
the gradual extinction of these funds, set
! ting aside a sufficient sum TO MAINTAIN 'he
reservation schools definite period of
years. say twenty-one, and then dividing
the balance per capita and paying each
member of the tribe at certain ages their
u, ii
vision of the land belonging to the tribe
per capita. The remedy proposed would
almost invariably Immediately re!egate the
Indians to poverty, though the remote re-
suit might be for them to work to save
| themselves from actual want. The general
| leasing of their allotments by the Indians
to white men is denounced.
| Indian Schools.
There We're go Indian schools Of all
kinds conducted by the government and an
| increase of ,412 pupils in enrolment and
| LIP in average attendance shown over the
previous year. About 5000 OF the $4,000
| eligible school children are unprovided for
| Compulsory education of the Indian chill
| dren is strongly Endorsed, and Congress is
| urged to authorize the commissioner tc
place every one of school age in SOME
school, the selection Of the school to be left
| largely to educated Indian parents.
| The report controverts the commonly &C.
| the whites the extinction Of the Indian is
| only matter of time. 1t says 1t can be
stated with a great degree Of confidence
| that the Indian population of the United
| States has been very little diminished from
| the days of Columbus, Coronado, Raleigh
| Capt. John Smith and other early explorers
| The first reliable Indian census was in 1870
| and certainly since then the Indian popula.
| ton has been nearly stationary, whatever
| decrease there IS being attributed to In.
| dams becoming citizens.
Reviewing Indian territory affairs. the re,
port says there are $1,000 children of white
parents there who should have schools, anC
| that thousands Of these children thus de.
| prived Of education are growing up in vice
and ignorance, already feeding the United
! States jails at Muscogee and other points
| with youthful criminals. The cost Of edu
cation will not be excessive compared with
results. School benefits also should be ex
| tended to the 425O ChoctaW freedmen
Government control of the schools in the
| ChickaSaW nation Is advocated.