Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-05

be men Of character, knowledge and en-
| terprise. 1t is true that the service is now
| in the main efficient, but a standard of
| excellence cannot be permanently main
| tanned until the principles set forth in the
| bills heretofore submitted to the congress
| on this subject are enacted into law.
| In my judgment the time has arrived
when we should definitely make up our
minds to recognize the Indian as an indi-
| vidual and not as a member of a tribe.
| The general allotment act Is mighty
| pulverizing engine to break up the tribal
mass. 1t acts directly upon the family
and the individual. Under its provisions
| some G0,000 Indians have already become
| citizens of the United States. We should
| now break up the tribal funds, doing for
| them what allotment does for the tribal
| lands-that is they should be divided INTO
| individual! holdings. There will be tram
sition period during which the funds will in
many cases have to be held in trust. rms
is the case also with the lands. A stop
| should be put upon the indiscriminate
| permission to Indians to lease their allot-
| ments. The effort should be steadily to
| make the Indian work like any other man
! on his own ground. The marriage laws
| of the Indians should be made the same
| as those of the whites.
Industrial Education of Indians.
| In the schools the education should be
elementary and largely industrial me
| need of higher education among the IN
| dams is very very limited. On the resers
| yations care should be taken to try to
| suit the teaching to the needs of the par
| ticular Indian. There is no use IN at
! tempting to induce agriculture IN coun-
| try suited only for cattle raising, where
| the Indian should be made stock grower.
/ u, sF,
| corral and the reservation system, is nigh
| ly detrimental to the Indians. 1t promotes
| beggary. perpetuates pauperism and stihes
| industry. 1t is an effectual barrier TO
! progress. 1t must continue to greater
| or less degree as long as tribes are herded
! on reservations and have everything in
| common. The Indian should be treated
| as an individual, like the white man.
| During the change of treatment inevitable
| hardshps will occur. Every effort should
| be made to minimize these hardships. but
we should not because of them hesitate to
| make the change. There should be con-
| tinuous reduction in the number of agen-
| cies.
| In dealing with the aboriginal races few
| things are more important than to pre-
| serve them from the terrible physical and
| moral degradation resulting from the liQ-
! uor traffic. We are doing all we can to
j save our own Indian tribes from this evil
1
same end can be attained as regards racer
| where we do not possess exclusive control
| every effort should be made to bring it
| about.
| Expeditions.
| I bespeak the most cordial support from
| the congress and the people for the ST.
| Louis exposition to commemorate the one
| hundredth anniversary of the Louisiana
| purchase. This purchase was the greatest
| instance of expansion in our history. 1t
| definitely decided that We were to become
| a great continental republic, by far the
! foremost power in the western hemi-
| sphere. 1t is one of three or four great
| landmarks in our history-the great turn
| ing points in our development. 1t is emf
nently fitting that all our people should
| join with heartiest good will in commend,
| rating it, and the citizens of ST. Louis, of
! Missouri of all the adjacent region, are
| entitled to every aid in making the cele-
| bration a noteworthy event in our annals
! We earnestly hope that foreign nations
will appreciate the deep interest our coun-
| try takes in this exposition and our view
| of its Importance from every standpoint,
| and that they will participate in securing
| its success. The national government
should be represented by a full and COM
| plete set of exhibits.
The people of Charleston, with great en-
| ergy and civic spirit. are carrying on an
| exposition which will continue throughout
\ most of the present session OF the con-
4 gress. heartily commend this exposi-
ton to the good will OF the people 1t
| deserves all the announcement that can
) be given it. The managers of the Charles
| ton exposition have requested the cabinet
| officers to place thereat the government
| exhibits which have been at Buffalo
| promising to pay the necessary expenses
l have taken the responsibility of direct
| ing that this be done. for feel that it is
4 To al Ia,
| praiseworthy effort. In my opinion the
| management should not be required to
| pay all these expenses l earnestly rec
ommend that the congress appropriate at
| once the small sum necessary for this
| purpose.
The Pan-Anerican exposition at Buffalo
has just closed. Both from the Industrial
| and the artistic standpoint this exposition
| has been in high degree creditable and
| useful not merely to Buffalo, but to the
United States. The terrible tragedy of the
| presidents assassination interfered mate
| rally with its being financial success
| The exposition was peculiarly in harmony
| with the trend of our public policy, be-
| cause it represented an effort to bring
| into closer touch all the peoples of the
western hemisphere and give them an in
| creasing sense OF unity. Such an effort
| was a genuine service to the entire Amer
| lean public.
Science and Education.
| The advancement of the highest inter-
ests of national science and learning and
the custody of objects of art and of the
valuable results of scientific expeditions
| conducted by the United States have been
| committed to the Smithsonian institution.
| In furtherance of it's declared purpose
for the increase and diffusion of knowI-
| edge among men"-the congress has from
time to time given it other important
| functions. Such trusts have been exc
cuted by the institution with notable fldel-
ity. There should be no halt in the work
of the institution. IN accordance with the
plans which its secretary has presented,
for the preservation of the vanishing
races of great North American animals in
the National Geological park. The urgent
needs of the National museum are rec
commended to the favorable considera ton
Of the congress.
Perhaps the most characteristic edu-
cational movement OF the past fifty years
| Is that which has created the modern
public library and developed it into broad
and active service There are now over
5000 public libraries in the United States.
the product Of this period. In addition
to accommodating material, they are also
! striving by organization by Improvement
IN method and by cooperation to give