The Washington times., 1901-11-23
EDUCATION OF THE
INDIAN A FAILURE.
VIEWS OF COMMISSIONER JONES.
The Red Man No Nearer the Coal Of
Indencadcncc Than He WAS
Thirty Years tEc-A Rem
edy Suggested.

1t doesn't pay to educate or even tc
! feed india ans. in the opinion Of W. a
Jones, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Or
| the contrary, ne believes the red meT
should be thrown on their own resources
! He says so plainly i'll his annual re-
! port, just made public. He declares that
the indiscrim.uate issue of raticns is q
barrier to civilization; that the periodical
distribution of large sums of money is
most evil in its effects, and also the gen
eral leasing of allotments contributes to
Indian decentralization. Regarding the edu-
cation of Indians. the Commissioner says:
| 1T is to be distinctly understood that
| it is not meant by this to condemn educa-
tion in the abstract-far from it. Neither
is it meant as a criticism upon the con-
duct or management of any particular
school or schools now in operation. What
is meant is that the present Indian edu-
cational system, taken as a whole, is not
! calculated to produce the results so
earnestly claimed for it and so hopefully
anticipated when it was begun"
Recruiting Indian Pupils.
The Commissioner says there are now
in operation 113 boarding schools, with an
average attendance of something more
than 10000 pupils. ranging from five to
twenty-one years old. These pupils, he
states, are gathered from the cabin
the wickiup, and the tepee. He adds
that these pupils, part by cajolery,
threats, bribery, fraud, and force. are in
duced to leave their wild homes and
their untutored parents to enter these
fol- Two
ward semblance of civilized life.
They are chosen, not on account of
any particular merit, or mental fitness,
hut solely because they have Indian blood
in their veins. Without regard to their
worldly condition. being then in a wild
state. he says they are transported to the
various schools. sometimes thousands of
miles away from their old homes, with
out the slightest expense or trouble TO
themselves or their people.
A steam laundry does the uncivilized
young bucks washing. He receives his
baths al the hands of the school at
tachss, and when sick, he is placed in
q clean, comfortable hospital with train
ed nurse to wait on him. These and a
great many more things are given him,
says the Commissioner, all without
money or the contribution of a single
effort of his own or OF his parents.
Spoiled by Education.
But. alasi" he adds, when .he Indian
has finished his education and is fitted
to take his place among the school gradu-
ates OF the country, he returns to his
old 'tepee.' or home. which by contrast
seems squalid, indeed-to his parents,
whom his education make it difficult
for him to honor. He is left to make his
way against the ignorance and bigotry
Of his tribe.
is it surprising that he fails?" adds the
Commissioner, with emphasis. is it, in
deed, surprising that ne lapses into bar
barism? No; not having earned his edu-
cation, ne does not appreciate its worth"
He looks Upon it as having been done for
him by the Government simply because,
Commissioner Jones says, ii is the
Governments place TO do so.
1T is not denied" continues the Com
missioner, that some good flows from this
system. 1t would be singular if there did
not, after all the effort that has been
made and the money that has been law
ished"
The Remedy suGS=sted.
The Commissioner says that the time
has come when a move should be made
toward terminating the guardianship
which has so long been exercised over the |
Indians, and putting them upon an equal
footing with white men. so far as their |
relations with this Government is con-
cerned Under the present system the |
Indian, in Mr.. Jones opinion, never at
tains his majority, the guardianship con |
tinuing in al unbrolseu line from father TO |
son, and generation afE-r generation the |
Indians live and die wards
The Commissioner says that during the !
past year his Office has declined 10 recon-
mend that permission for Indians t. go on |
exhibition be granted, and they seem to
be perfectly satisfied with the Depart
ment's action, and but few Leave their |
reservation to go on the road" In JuIy |
last. Chief White Eye. an Indian belong |
ing 10 the Cheyenne and Agapaho Agency |
in Oklahoma, telegraphed from Cleveland. |
Ohio, that sixteen Indians were stranded |
in Cleveland from 'Buckskin Bill's" show, !
and being without money, were unable to |
get to their homes in Oklahoma. After |
due consideration, the Department wired |
White Eye as follows:
You viii have to look to your employer |
for means to get home. You took the |
risk, and you have no cne TO blame but |
yourself Office has no funds to aid you"
There was nothing left for the sixteen |
disgusted redskins to do but to walk, and |
walk they did back to Oklahoma, swear
ing vengeance against the Snowman