Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-06-20
INDIAN MARRIAGES.
THE DEPARTMENT REGULA.
TIoNS CAUSE COMMENT.
Although Congress Has Not Yet
Acted Law Steps Are Taken to
Enforce License Rules.

Washington Letter: One more step
has been taken in the civilization OF
poor Lo. who. from the first of this
month, will practically be amenable to
the American marriage law.
Poor Los well wishers. who are
doubtless good people themselves, be-
| lieve that by urging the secretary of the
interior to force the American code up
on the Indian they will be taking one
more step towards his enlightenment
and sublimation.
The alleged object for this solicitude
on behalf of the Indian is that it will
be prevent the swapping Of wives poly
gamy, immortality. etc.
Besides having no legal basis for ac-
ton in issuing such instructions, how
ever well intended they Tiay be. 1t is
held by the majority Of those well ac-
quainted with the habits and charac-
ter of the Indians that the attempt to
foist our marriage system upon them
is piece of folly as well as OF sumptu-
airy legislation Of the worst kind, if so
IT. may be phrased.
The current idea is that polygamy
should be first restricted in Utah and
the other parts of the United States
where it f1ourishes abundantly, before
an attempt is made to dragon poor
Lo into system with which he has no
sympathy and does not possess even a
clear understanding Of To have al
lowed matters to stand and marriages
to be consummated under the old tribal
relations. as Is done by the British gov
eminent in India and elsewhere, would,
it is thought. have been more bene-
fetal to all concerned. AS 1t is. 1t is
feared an immense amount of official
red tape will be used and principally
wasted.
The regulations require that no In
dian shall now marry without first OBJ
tanning marriage license, either from
the agent or from some properly con-
stituted state or territorial authority.
The applicants may be married on an
agents license, by a minister or magis-
trate, or by a declaration before adult
witnesses of their intention to live to-
gether permanently as husband and
wife
These licenses are to be furnished
gratis, and at each agency record is
to be kept of both licenses and mar
riages. There are blanks furnished
for marriage certificates to be given to
the parties married and for the returns
| to be made to the agent by the one who
solemnized the marriage.
Further regulations are to the eff
| feet that the Indians must be made ia
miliar with the laws of the state or ter
ritory in which they live and that they
| must be compelled to conform to them.
| Every agent having charge of In
dians must keep a record of all the
families under his care. giving names,
! tribe and parentage of husband and
wife, a description of ceremony used,
| its approximate date, names of unmar-
| ried children, and due information in
regard to all other members of the
| family If any attempt is made to
withhold this information from agents
rations may be refused.
| The idea which the commissioner of
| Indians affairs is trying to carry out
| is TO establish a real status for the
heirs of such Indians as have acquired
citizens of the United States.
Another reason urged for requesting
the commissioners action By these
who have agitated for these REFORMS is
that even if an Indian be a citizen on
the ground of being an allottee, there
| is no civil or criminal tribunal which
will bother about case either for or
against him unless a white person be
| implicated The local courts have
over and over again refused to take
cognizance of disputes in which In
dams alone were concerned.
The judges Claim that they are not
called upon to bother about litigation
between persons who are non-taxpay-
ers.
| Since, however, there is no law be-
| hind these new regulations it is doubt
| full whether they can possess the slight
est value, as they must be sanctioned
by congressional legislation, which has
! hitherto been refused in spite Of strong
pressure to bring it about.
WILLIAM HOPSON.