New-York tribune., 1902-07-14
INDIANS AS FARMERS.
THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN
INDUCING REDSKINS TO WORK.

Wichita, Kan July 10 tspeciaD.-The interest of
the red man has been aroused and at last he has
taken to the plough, fOrsaking the blanket. the
powwow and the medicine dance. When years ago
the government came to the conclusion that manual
labor would exercise a greater influence toward
civilizing the American Indian than anything else
that could he done forward step taken. 1t was
considered folly then; but to-day the facts speak
for themselves. Since 1887. when the red man had
his first lesson in farming. the separation from the
wild life has been gradual, albeit slow and hating
al times; but the future is roseate,
Within the last few years the advance OF the
Indian buck in farming has been remarkable. More
redskins taking tc the plough. the harrow and
the hoe than the public imagine In ninety out
or every hundred the young Indian returning from
his school takes up farming in preference TO the
professions. But II should also be recorded that 20
per cent Of those who have passed through a coll
lege return to the reservation and don the blanket
again. a few years ago II extraordinary
sight to tho red work in the fleld- Proud
Chieftains. forced 10 work starve ofttimes took
to the field after nightfal In other instances they
actually starved. But now one may ride through
any reservation in the West where Indians live and
find them working away like the ordinary farm
hands.
In the United States to-day there $500 Ind
!ans who their living by farming. Last year
they sold their farm products for ST. i0SS65 ever and
above their expenses Of living This r1arly $40
apiece and this in view Of the fact that 80 per cent
OF them had worked all before.
While $500 Indians earn their own living by farm
work. $685. I've ailotm"nts and rent their lands
TO the white people only few of these owners Il
land willing to till their soil. Since 1887
there have been allotted the Indians 6.73eJ4
acres Of land. OF this half million acres is
leased TO cattlemen another half million is leased
for farming purposes. and the remainder lies un-
cultivated. The privilege of leasing Indian lands 10
white has been OF the principal II asons the
Indian never got down work before As long
he could derive scanty livelihood from rentals he
was not apt 20 seek more and richer fields He was
content to lie IN the shade Of his tepee and smoke
the pipe Of dleness.
Another evil In the present governing Of the red
man Is the ration system. rho government ADMITS
this evil and Is now taking steps to abolish it. Last
es un" m i m REQ t5s,r fonS abomt
81. .25OOo. OF this number fully two,thirds were
own bread and meat but who had not learned the
ration system were really deserving. but they were
vastly In the minority Seven per cent Of the indian
existence som" way The rest sponge of the pale
The most prosperous colony of Indians today are
the Five CIVILIZED Tribes CT Indian Territory who
only self-supporting. but who cleared
81 900 last year from ihe sale beef and cattle
and act more like their white neighbors thon like
The government spends from 100000 to $5,OoOoOO
annually to educate the Indians and set them up IN
farming, and the Indian appropriation grows larger
Indian. old young II cost the government, on an
average. $50 to teach the red man the art Of farm;
allow $3.50 in crops to go TO weeds fhe Indians
a habit OF taking of their farming
tools IL is no uncommon sight TO see new binder,
plough OF moving machine in the rain and snow
storms all winter. When IN dire need of kindlng
wood Indian buck of the old school will chop up
a wagon bed rather than drive To the woods
and down timber for that purpose.
The Usage Indians perhaps the best formers
of the Southwest to-day while the Sioux the
premiers of the North. II is rather strange. too.
that tribes producing the best fighters and the
shrewdest medicine men should likewise turn out
good farmers The physique of the Indian stamps
him n successful agrCulturst II he gets proper and
sufficient training to perform the WOfk