The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1902-12-05

In view OF the capital Importance Of these mat
tiers commend them to the earnest consideration
Of the congress, and if the congress finds diff
Guilty in dealing with them from lack Of thorough
knowledge Of the subject | recommend that pro-
vision be made for commission of experts spe-
ctally to investigate and report upon the com
plicated questions involved.
| especially urge upon the congress the need OF
wise legislation for Alaska 1t is not to our
credit as a nation that Alaska, which has been
ours for thirtyve years, should still have poor
system OF laws as is the case. No country has
q more valuable possession in mineral wealth. in
fisheries, furs, forests and also in land available
for certain kinds of farming and stock growing.
1t is territory of great size and varied re-
sources, well fitted to support a large permanent
population. Alaska needs a good land law and
such provisions for homesteads and prescriptions
as Will encourage permanent settlement. We
should shape legislation with a view not to the
exploiting and abandoning OF the territory. but
to the building up Of homes therein The land
laws should be liberal in type, SO as to hold out
inducements to the actual settler whom most
desire to see take possession Of the country. The
forests of Alaska should be protected, and, as a
secondary but still important matter, the game
also, and at the same time it is imperative that
the settlers should be allowed to cut timber,
der proper regulations for their use. Laws
should be enacted to protect the Alaskan salmon
fisheries against the greed which would destroy
them. They should be preserved a permanent
industry and food supply. Their management
and control should be turned over to the commits
sion Of fish and fisheries. Alaska should have a
delegate in the congress. 1t would be well if a
investigate its needs on the ground.
In dealing with the Indians our aim should be
their ultimate absorption into the body Of our
people, but in many this absorption must
and should be very slow. In portions OF the In
dian Territory the mixture Of blood has gone
at the same time with progress in wealth and
education, so that there are plenty of men with
varying degrees Of purity of Indian blood who
absolutely indistinguishable in point OF social,
political and economic ability from their white
associates. There other tribes which have as
advance toward
equality. To try to force such tribes too fast is
to prevent their going forward at all. Moreover
the tribes live under widely different conditions
Where tribe has made considerable advance and
lives fertile farming soil it is possible to aot
the members lands In severalty much as is the
case with white settlers There are other tribes
where such a course is not desirable. On the
arid prairie lands the effort should be to induce
the Indians to lead pastoral rather than agricul-
tural lives and to permit them to settle in vii
lagos rather than to force them into isolation.
The large Indian schools situated remote from
any Indian reservation do special and peculiar
work OF great importance; but, excellent thouA
these are, an immense amount Of additional VIC "a
must be done the reservations themselves
among the old, and, above all, among the young
Indians.
The first and most important step toward the
absorption Of the Indian is to teach him to earn
his living, yet it Is not necessarily to be assumed
that in each community all Indians must become
either tllers of the soil or stock raisers Their
industries may properly be diversified, and those
who show special desire adaptability for indus
trial commercial pursuits should be
couraged so far as practicable to follow out each
his bent.
dian along the lines of natural aptitude and to |
encourage the existing native industries peculiar
to certain tribes, such as the various kinds of |
basket weaving, canoe building, smith work and |
blanket work. Above ALL the Indian boys and |
girls should be given confident command OF coll
loquial English and should ordinarily be prepared
for vigorous struggle with the conditions under
which their people live rather than for immedi-
ate absorption into some more highly developed
The officials who represent the government in
dealing with the Indians work under hard condi
tions and also under conditions which render it
easy to do wrong and very difficult to detect
on the one hand, and on the other hand par
dcularly high standard Of conduct should be de-
handed from them, and where misconduct can be
proved the punishment should be exemplary.
In department Of governmental work in
cent years has there been greater success than
In that Of giving scientific aid to the farming
population, thereby showing them how most eff
GENTLY to help themselves There is need o.
insisting upon its Importance, for the welfare OF
he farmer is fundamentally necessary to the
Welfare Of the republic as a whole. In addition
% such work as quarantine against animal and
vegetable plaques and warning against them when
lere introduced much efficient help has been rem
Tered to the farmer by the introduction of
,lants specially fitted for cultivation under the
peculiar conditions existing in different portions
Il the country. New cereals have been established
n the semiarid west. For instance, the practi-
ability Of producing the best types Of macaroni
yheats in regions OF an annual rainfall of only
en- inches or thereabout has been conclusvely
demonstrated Through the introduction OF new
ices in Louisiana and Texas the production OF
ice in this country has been made to about equal
he home demand. In the southwest the possibil-
ty of regrassing overstocked range lands has been
demonstrated; in the north many forage
rops have been introduced, while in the east it
as been shown that some of our choicest fruits
an be stored and shipped in such a way as 10
nd profitable market abroad.
] again recommend to the favorable considera-
]
Institution for making the museum under its
barge worthy Of the nation and for preserving
t the national capital not only records of the
anshing races OF men, but of the animals Of this
ointment which, like the buffalo, will soon be-
ONE extinct unless specimens from which their
representatives may be renewed are sought in ,
heir native regions and maintained there in
afety.
The District of Columbia is the only part of /
ur territory in which the national government
Zercises local or municipal functions and where