The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-19
INDIAN AGENT REPORTS
The School Troubles Among the
Sac and Fox Tribes.
Obstacles to Observation-Disclosures
Interference of Meddlers - Osages
Cling to Blankets Despite Their
WcaIth-The Younger Generation
Breaking Away From Old Customs.

superintendent which will be comprised
in the supplement of the forthcoming re-
port of the Commissioner OF Indian AZ
fairs are mostly in type. The agent for
the Sac and Fox Indians in Iowa tells
briefly the Government version of the trou-
bic in the schools OF his district, outlined in
press dispatches about nine months ago.
He complains that the school enrolment
was growing. and would have reached re-
spectacle proportions but for the mis-
chevious work of outside meddlers'
''Instigated by certain parties living in
Toledo and Montour, Iowa." he writes,
suit was instituted for the release of a
certain Indian girl who was enrolled as a
pupil at the school on the LIST OF Septem-
Der. 1899. but who was alleged to have been
married at subsequent date while thus
enrolled and in attendance at the school;
and on the 18th Of December, 1899 de-
cision was obtained in the United States
District Court at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to
the effect that these children could not be
retained in the school without the consent
OF their parents or guardians. Upon a
PRONUNCIATION OF this edict. influence was
brought to bear upon several of those who
had children in the school, and by this
within very few days after the said de-
cision was made known. some of whom were
carried away by main force while pro-
testing vigorously that they wanted to re-
main in the school. This number was con-
tinued until the close of the school term,
but runaways were frequent, and the school
was not SO successful as it otherwise would
have been, although the children remain
ing in the school made very satisfactory
progress"
This and other information which the
agent includes in his report is of especial
interest in view Of the fact that the con-
dition of the Sac and Fox Indians of Iowa
illustrates the effect of settling Indians in
the midst Of populous white community
and allowing them to retain their tribal
and reservation system. Those Indians
who regularly draw their annuities and are
progressive in their tendencies. who favor
education and better dwellings and en-
vironments generally" the agent tells US,
are doing better work on their farms
than ever before" and the census will
show better results from their live stock
Investments than during any previous
period. Those who are opposed to civili-
cation, however. refuse to accept their an
nuities. and are buying their supplies
largely on credit, some Of them having
contracted debts which they are unable to
pay.
There is a new agent, named o. A.
Mitscher, in charge of the Osages, the
tribe whose claim to fame is that they are
the richest community, per capita. on the
face OF the earth. The testimony of the
new agent certainly agrees with the OBJ
servation OF persons outside of the service
who have visited the reservation and
tried to study its conditions impartially.
He says.
THE full-blooded osages are stfll
blanket Indians. living as near as can be to
their old customs and traditions. The
younger generation are gradually breaking
away from the customs of their elders, but
In SO doing invite their censure, ridicule,
and very frequently severe punishment.
The girls returning from school readily
give way to the wishes OF their parents
and don leggins and blankets. Now and
then. but very rarely, one of the girls
rebels and continues the school dress.
Among the boys, however each year
marks decided progress. Some of them
returning to the camps. by their elders
wishes. habituate themselves with the
gee-string and its accoutrements, but
majority adhere to their citizens clothing
and find the ways of civilization more con-
genial. The full-bloods nearly all maintain
country home and camp home. Their
country house is usually good, substan-
tial house on their farm. we'll adapted for
winter quarters to protect them against
the fnclemency Of the weather. Their
camp or town house is cheaply and loosely
built. and permits ventilation from ali
sides. This is where they pass the hot
months OF the summer. indoIently rolled
IN their sheet or blanket. quietly Sleep
Ing the hours away or engaged in a game
OF poker. at which they are adopts Their
farms are all worked by white lessees for
either cash or crop rental. and the Indians
sole concern is to keep In touch with his
white tenant or tenants and to maintain
amicable relations and credit with his
trader. to whom he looks for subsistence"
Agent Scobey. at Fort Peck. Mon. says of
the bulk of the school plant which was the
old Camp Poplar River military post, that
these buildings amount to nothing. They
were abandoned by the military in 1893
as uninhabitable and unsafe, yet an In
dian school has been maintained in these
buildings since that time. They ought
to have been wiped off the face of the
earth long ago." OF the Indian police,
whom he commends for doing their duty
faithfully. he says:
The Supreme Court of the United
States has decided in the case of The
United States against Bad Elk that an
Indian policeman has no authority what
ever in law to arrest anyone. Thus we
have this condition of affairs confronting
US: You instruct me to employ certain
persons as policemen. You arm these po-
lice with Springfield rifles and Colt re-
volvers and you order me to have them
execute certain duties. At the same time,
when they attempt to carry out the regu-
laticns and instructions which you have
issued. they do it at their own PERIL
Kindly feeling for the missionaries on
the reservation, expressed elsewhere, does
not prevent his candid treatment of the
question Of maintaining UNCONVENTIONAL
school side by side with that of the Gov
eminent:
AT Wolf Point Mrs c. d. King and
Miss Abby Miller. who are missionaries
for the Presbyterian Church, conduct
day school. Their schoolroom work has |
been excellent. but they have to depend
for their support upon the contributions |
of brethren in the East, and the result |
has been that the children have been in |
fed and indifferently clothed. |
dislike very much to say this but at |