The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-11
TIE sEzF-sUproRrrNa 1NpIAN.

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THE SELF-SUPPoRTTNG INDTAN.
The national policy toward the Indian
has certainly not been great success
from the Indian standpoint Whether or
not ii has been wise and successful
policy from the white mans standpoint
is quite another matter Many of us
believe that the fate of the North Amer
lean Indian, like that of most other
aboriginal races brought in contact with
the white mans civilization, was and is
inevitably to be swept from the path of
modern American progress as have been
the buffalo and the other chief FORMS of
Indigenous animal life on this continent.
Others of us again are disposed to regard
our Indian policy as mere inhuman deei-
nation of brave race struggling for It's
natural heritage.
However the great problem is regarded
the results could not well have been
worse for the Indian. We have treated
his as morally irresponsible and as a
serious encumbrance in the path of civil
ization He has brought most of his own
woes upon himself but since his physical
subjugation has been effected we have
gone on pursuing course which has
made of him a national Pariah.
| 1t is not so long ago since the theory
was seriously advanced that Individual
| ownership of the soil could be made eff
feetive for the reclamation of the Indian.
| On its face it looked as if such a policy
represented little more than making easy
his further spoliation.
And now comes Senator Quarles, of
Wisconsin, and, on behalf of himself and
his official associates, declares that the
time has come to throw the Indian COM
pletely on his own resources by putting
an end to the tribal system and placing
on him the responsibility for his own
subsistence. 1t is not Improbable that
congress may accept the suggestion and
make an end of the reservation and tribal
plans of treating the Indian. What will
the effect be upon the Indian? It is
needless to ask what the effect will be
upon the whites. The slender hold which
the Indian has today upon his native soil
will be forever ended as soon as the
reservation and tribal systems are broken
up The white man will sooner or later
nave all the lands now occupied by the
Indian in his ownership, and they will
be devoted to the uses of civilization
Then, what becomes of the Indian? No
white community will tolerate him as an
element of its population. He knows no
art or craft, save alone what nature has
taught him. His other accomplishments.
however undesirable they are, have their
origin mostly in the white mans teach
ings; and great as our admiration may
be of the redeeming and elevating in
fuence of our civilization, it can hardly
be said that the education which the IN
dian has received from his contact with
US is such as to enable him with any
positive success to engage in the work of
making living.
Thrown on his own resources the In
dian will prove to be little better than
child. Surely something must be Of
fered to him as substitute for the
means of subsistence which the govern
ment has been giving him. 1t will be to
his ultimate gain to destroy the tribal
relation Of that there can be no doubt
That relation is an anomaly and
danger. If he has any of the elements
of nobility in his character which his
admirers have credited him with he will,
once he is released from it. rise above
the demoralizing influence OF the system.
But he cannot be expected to do it un-
aided.
If the Indian tribal relation is to be
broken up, and no helping hand is held
out to the Indian by this government,
starvation and ultimate ruin represent
his fate.