The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1901-08-16
MANY INDIAN FARMS.

MANY INDIAN FARMS.
The Indian, who was thought at
one time to be rapidly dying out,
but after careful investigation shows
signs of increase instead of decrease,
is rapidly developing into splendid
farmers in those sections of the cOun-
try where he has been assigned to
reservations and has been taught the
art of farming. 1t is now generally
considered that the Indian should
be taught more farming and less fig
uring, for as a figurer he seems to
be an utter failure, but as farmer
fair success. From the government
reports that have recently been sent
out it is learned that there are 49,
900 Indians in the United States,
who earn their own living by farm
work. Last year it Is claimed by
this report, the Indian sold farm
products to the value of 81, ,40S, ,865
over and above the expenses of liv-
ing, which was on an average of $40
per capita Farming among the
kiowa Indians has reached a high
state Of development, and some OF
them have farms in as high state Of
cultivation as any farms found in the
Eastern states, and this is not only
true of the Kiowas, but it is likewise
true of all Of the Indians located in
the Indian Territory and in that sec
ton of the United States Even in
the state of Washington where the
Indians are taught farming, they
are making much more progress than
those that are supported by the gov
ernment in idleness and permitted to
continue their fishing and hunting
pursuits. The Indian is not going
to die out, and it is hardly fair for
him to be continued as a public
charge for all time to come, simply
because generations ago his fathers
were robbed of their hunting
grounds by white persons bent on
conquest. If there is anything the
Indian can be made useful at, let him
be put doing that and given en-
couragement along that line, that he
may become self-sustaining instead
of a public charge
OUR INDIAN STATES.
Speaking about the Indians, the
following figures may be of interest
to persons giving the subject some
study and consideration. There are
today about 267 600 Indians in the
United States, Of which $4,000 do
not work Nearly seven per cent. OF
the entire reservation earn their own
living. This does not include the
five civilized tribes. Of the five civ
ilized tribes there are at present So
$50 perhaps located in the Indian
Territory They are Cherokees,
Greeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws and
SeminOles; all of these tribes yet
maintain their land in common, but
an effort will be made to allot the
same within the next year These
are educated Indians and, it is es-
timated that they earned last year
from the sale of their produce ST.
100000 Every year the government
eXpends $55, 100000 in trying to
educate the redskins and set them
up in farming. The Usage tribe are
the richest Indians in the United
States. and are said to be the most
industrious. Last year they had
10000 acres of land under cultiva-
ton, from which they raised 100000
bushels of wheat, 10000 bushels of
oats and 100000 bushels of corn.
The Sioux trime Outnumbers the
Osages two to one, and they stick to
cattle raising instead of farming.
Last year they sold 10000 head of
cattle, realizing profit therefrom of
$4,000. The Cherokees are like
wise great cattle raisers. Practical
farming is being taught in most of
the Indian schools at present.
REVOLUTION IN COLUMBIA.
The revolution in Columbia, one
of the South American republics, is
assuming proportions which makes ii
necessary for this country to send
warships to their ports for the pro
lection of American citizens and
their interests there, who have from
time to time become interested in
financial matters in that part of the
world. The people who make up the
South American republics seem tC
be of revolutionary, effervescent
nature, and they overflow every time
the political stopper is pulled out
TN ono coo,,oc n bo no 111oh 4hiOO os