Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-02
Citizenship for Indians.

Citizenship for Indians.
IN dealing with the Indians our aim should be
their ultimate absorption into the body OF our
and should be very slow. In portions OF the In
dian Territory the mixture of blood has gone on
at the same time with progress in wealth ana
varying degrees Of purity of Indian blood who
are absolutely ndistingushable in point o. social,
political and economic ability. from their white
associates. There other tribes which have as
yet made perceptible advance toward SUCH
equality. To try to force such tribes too last is
to prevent their going forward at all Moreover
Where tribe has made considerable advance ana
lives fertile farming soil it is possible to ailot
the members lands in severalty much as is the
case with white settlers There 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 agricnl-
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
work Of great Importance; but, excellent though
these are, an immense amount OF additional work
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 tillers of the soil or stock raisers Their
industries may properly be diversified and those
trial or even commercial pursuits should be en-
couraged far as practicable to follow out each
his own bent.
Every effort should be made to develop the In
dian along the lines OF natural aptitude and to
encourage the existing native industries peculiar
to certain tribes such az tine 3 knas , 81
blanket work. Above all, the Indian boys and
girls should be given confident command of col.
ioquial 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
community.
The officials who represent the government in
dealing with the Indians work under hard condi-
tons and also under conditions which render 1t
wrong. Consequently they should be amply paid
on the one hand, and on the other hand par
ticularly high standard of conduct should be de-
manded from them, and where misconduct can be
proved the punishment should be exemplary.
in no department OF governmental work in re-
cent years has there. been greater success than
In that Of giving scientific aid to the farming
population, thereby showing them how most eff
ciently to help themselves. There is no need OF
insisting upon its Importance. for the welfare OF
welfare Of the republic as whole. In addition
to such work as quarantine against animal and
vegetable plaques and %affing against them hem when
dered to the farmer by the introduction OF new
plaots specially fitted for cultivation under the
Of the country New cereals have been established
In the eemiarid west. For instance, the practi-
cability of producing the best types OF macaroni
wheats in regions Of annual rainfall of only
ten inches or thereahout has been conclusively
demonstrated. Through the Introduction OF new
rces in Louisiana and Texas the production Of
rice in this country has been made to about equal
the home demand. In the southwest the .possibil-
ity OF Requesting oyerstoeked range lands has been
demonstrated; in the north many new forage
crops have been introduced, while in the east IL
has been shown that some Of choicest fruits
can be stored and shipped in such way as to
find profitable market abroad.
l again recommend to the favorable considera-
tion of the congress the plans Of the Smithsonian
institution for making the museum under its
charge worthy Of the nation and for preserving
at the national capital not only records OF the
vanishing races Of men, but OF the animals OF this
continent which, like the buffalo, viii soon be-
come extinct unless specimens from which their
representatives may be renewed are sought in
their native regions and maintained there in
safety
The District OF Columbia is the only part OF
our territory in which the national government
exercises local or municipal functions and where
in consequence the government has q free hand
In reference to certain types OF social and eco,
nonric legislation which must be essentially local
or municipal in their character. The government
should see to it, for instance, that the hygienic
and sanitary legislation affecting Washington is
of high character. The evils OF slum dwellings,
whether in the shape of crowded and congested
tenement house districts or Of the back alley
type, should never be permitted to grow up in
respect for all the cities OF the country. The
charitable and correctional systems of the Dis
trict should receive confederation at the hands OF
the congress to the end that they may embody
the results Of the most advanced thought in these
fields. Moreover, whila Washington is not great
industrial city, there is some ndHstrialism here,
and our labor legislation. while it would not be
important in itself, might be made model for
the rest Of the nation. We should pass. for in
trict Of Columbia. and we need such an act in
our navy yards. Railroad companies in the Dis
tr;ct ought to be required by law to block their
frogs
The safety appliance law, for the better pro-
lection Of the lives and limbs OF railway EN-
ployees, which was passed in 1898, went into full
effect or Aug. l. 1901. It has resulted in avert
ing thousands OF casualties Experience shows
however, the necessity OF additional legislation
to perfect this law. bill to provide for this
passed the senate at the last session. 1t is to be
hoped that some such measure may now be en-
acted into law,
Government Printing Costly.