Evening star., 1901-12-03

bills heretofore submitted to the Congress
on this subject are enacted into law.
The Indian Question.
In my Judgment the time has arrived
when we should definitely make up our
minds to recognize the Indian an indi-
vidual and not as a member of a tribe. The
General Allotment Act is a mighty pulver-
izing engine to break up the tribal mass.
1t acts directly upon the family and the
individual. Under its provisions some sixty
thousand Indians have already become citi-
zens 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 individ
ual holdings There will be a transition
period during which the funds will in many
cases have to be held in trust This is the
case also with the lands. A stop should
be put upon the indiscriminate permission
to Indians to lease their ailctments. The
effort should be steadily to make the In
dian 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.
In the schools the education should be ele-
mentary and largely Industrial The need
VI eOuCdliOn among the 1nQlanS Is
very, very limited. On the reservations
care should be taken to try to suit the
teaching to the needs of the particular In
dian. There Is no use In attempting to in
duce agriculture In country suited only
for cattle raising. where the Indian should
be made a stock grower. The ration sys-
tenn, which is merely the corral and the
reservation system, is highly detrimental to
the Indians. 1t promotes beggary, perpetu-
ates pauperism, and stiles industry 1t ia
an effectual barrier to progress. 1t must
continue to a 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 treat
ment inevitable hardships 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 a continuous reduction in the
number Of agencies.
In dealing with the aboriginal races few
things are more important than to preserve
them from the terrible physical and moral
degradation resulting from the liquor traf-
nc. We are doing all we can to save our
own Indian tribes from this evil. Wherever
by International agreement this same end
can be attained as regards races where we
do not possess exclusive control, every ef-
fort should be made to bring 1t about
Various 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 pf psio In U<
definitely decided that we were to become a
great continental republic. by far the fore
most power In the Western Hemisphere. Il
Is one of three or four great landmarks in
our history-the great turning points In our
development. It is eminently fitting that all
our people should join with heartiest good
will In commenorating 1t, and the citizens
OF st. Louis, of Missouri. OF all the adjacent
region are entitled to every aid in making
the celebration noteworthy event in our
annals. We earnestly hope that foreign
nations will appreciate the deep interest our
country takes in this Exposition. and our
view OF its Importance from every stand
point, and that they will participate in Sc
curing its success. The National Govern
ment should be represented by a full and
complete set of exhibits
The people Of Charleston, with great en-
ergy and civic spirit, the carrying on an ex-
position which will continue throughout
most of the present session Of the Congress
heartily commend this Exposition to the
good Will Of the people. 1t deserves all the
encouragement that can be given it. The
managers Of the Charleston Exposition have
requested the Cabinet officers to place
thereat the Government exhibits which have
been at Buffalo, promising to pay the neces-
r
bility Of directing THAT this be done, for I
feel that It Is due to Charleston to help her
in ner praiseworthy effort. In my opinion
the management should not be required to
pay adj these expenses. earnestly recon-
mend that the Congress appropriate at once
the small sum necessary for this purpose.
The Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo
has just closed Both from the Industrial
and the artistic standpoint this Exposition
has been In high degree creditabIe and
useful, not merely to Buffalo but to the
United States. The terrible tragedy OF the
Presidents assassination interfered ma
terialiy with its being a financial success.
The Exposition was peculiarly in harmony
with the trend Of our public policy, because
1t represented an effort to bring into closer
touch all the peoples of the Western Hemi-
sphere, and give them an increasing sense
of unity. Such an effort was a genuine
service to the entire American public.
SmfhsOnian Instftution.
The advancement Of the highest interests
Of national science and learning and the
custody Of objects OF art and OF the valu-
able results Of scientific expeditions con-
Quoted by the United States have been COM
mfted to the Smithsonian Institution In
furtherance Of its declared purpose-for the
increase and diffusion of knowledge among
men'-the Congress has from time to time
given 1t other important functions Such
trusts have been executed by the Institu-
ton with notable fidelity. There should be
no halt In the work Of the Institution, IN
accordance with the plans which It's Sec
retary has presented, for the preservation
Of the vanishing races Of great North
American animals tn the National Zooloei-
cal Park. The urgent needs Of the National
Museum are recommended to the favorable
consideration OF the Congress-
Library of Congress.