The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-04
RIGHTS OF THE INDIAN
SOCIAL sCIK1TIsTs DEMAND
 THAT HE BB EDUCATED.
Politics at the Agencies-Herbert welch Stamps as Vicious the
 systsm of Changing Agents

Washington Post.
 The final session of the American Social Science Association was held yesterday. The discussions related to art and edu- Commissioner Of Indian Anairs. made an address on the education of the Indian. He contended that the elevation of the race depends on its assimilation In the port of the Indian Bureau as apparently intended to discredit the whole Indian school system and to call for It's aban- donment.' General Morgan also said that the system of public school educa- to that among the whites. and 1t was hardly fair to demand the same results.
 The Indian schools of today" Gen. eral Morgan said. can hardly be called stitutions having been slowly brought in-
 to organic relatfopship. It comprises dis trict public schools, reservation day schools, reservation boarding schools and
 non-reservatlon boarding schools.
 of the present Indian school system for
 the accomplishment of its great purpose
 It ought to be remembered that 1t Is still
 incomplete. According to the report,
 tnsrs are nov snrollsd Sso prpi. wit s
 constitute an important part of our young
 Indian wards which has not been touched
 by the educational forces now operating.
 The ultimate eeifct of the system. of course, cannot be judged until it has embraced practically all the available children of school age, and 1t is mani festiy unjust to pronounce a system failure before 1t has been fairly tried.
 Every child born into the republic is kind and degree of education as will fit him for good citizenship. The Indian child has q right to demand of the Gov erument which has assumed the reSpon- <&H l. NA t-l AA-A l. -I~. --A be hopelessly handicapped by any inferior
 MT, Herbert welsh of Philadelphia, reviewed the twenty years work of the Indian Rights Association. He said that ciety has had to fight is civii service re- form. He stamped as vicious the system by which, with each change of an ad- mfnistration, nearly alf of his sixty In- dian agents are changed for political reasons and appointments are made by the direction of political bosses. He ad- vocated some judicidus plan of promotion from lower grades In the service, regu- lated by a competitive test. as the best for a serious abuse. One of the greatest obstacles in the way of a just ! settlement of the Indian problem. he said. . Is the difficulty encountered in protecting Indians In the possession of their lands.
 In conclusion. MT. Welsh summarized the situation as follows:
 The North American Indian should be absorbed by our .ctvilizati,n. Tn numer- ous cases he has shown himself capable of an earnest, faithful religious life. of industry. of mental re- finement. and development. His race. however, Is distinctly feebler, more ju- veniie than ours But he Is subject to the same great moral and physical laws that govern us, and on which our welfare Is dependent. He must be protected dur ing the intermediate period between sav- agery and civilization from the cupidity and vices of the white race by organized popular efforts. such as the Indian Rights Ing of the governments humane purpose for his welfare depends largely on this unofficial popular interest and aid.
 The probabilities are that many In- and useful. though humble lives which otherwise would inevitably sink into hopeless. gypsy-like vagabondage ana decay.
 "An incidental but valuable service of the Indian Rights Association Hes in the proof it gives of the efficiency of popular sentiment run into permanent organized channels or corrective of official cor ruption or ineff1ciency. Such organiza- tions are essential to the health and vigor of a democracy and are a counter weight to the downward tendency of per- sonal or corporate interests. acting on the official structure of the Government"
 Prof. Nj G.. Brumbaugh the Commis- \ on education in that island. Spain In 400 years" he said, had not erected one school house in the island. Under the military rule of the United States SIP rolled. Under civil government the first year 800 schools with 36000 pupils were opened and maintained for nine months. Now 1000 schools. with 5000 pupils are by 10 per cent. and the demand for schools Is steadily increasing. The civil government of Puerto Rico now could have at least .15o.ooo pupils in the schools If 1t were able 10 get enough teachers
 Puerto Rico today. he said, does not owe a dollar. and has over $1,0oo.OO0 in the treasury. This financial condition was described as being without a par allei in the history of spanish.:American progress of the island, Dr. Brumbaugh said Puerto Rico now has a system of schools thoroughly organized; has fin daily use new school buildings in all the towns and cities and in many ru- ral places; has systematic agricultural education. a thoroughly reorganized corps of teachers, and an annual budget of over $500. 900 for schools. Rican Board of Education under the mil |
 tary government, also spoke on this sub- | feet.
 Rev. Frank Sewall of this city made | ! plea for the return to the 1umblest la boring classes, in form of parks, foun- | tains. monuments. buildings and music. l of the debt which wealth and art owe to | them as producers of the crude material. | for all living and for all social progress. 1
 In his address. which was on the sub |
 ect. Art and the Toilers.'' he said:
 The question is, What, besides religion ] the greatest human need-is the most l genuine joy. above the plane of mere animal qualification. that we can impart | to the toifing masses directly?
 "I hold that this is the joy of the beau ftful-the beautiful in form, sound, color,