Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-20
EDUCATING The indian
An Interesting Report Showing
Progress of the Red Man in
Preparation.
1t Will be Submitted to the
Congress at Its Next
Session.
Officials Will Recommend the
Withdrawal OF the Ration
System.

Washington, Aug 20.-an interesting
report showing in comprehensive
the direction of civilzins the Indians
OF the United States Will be submitted
to congress at its next session by the
commissioner of Indian affairs.
The data presented will be of gen
eral interest as rejecting, the present
condition of the child of the forest and
what has been done for him in recent
| wears by Uncle sam, even if the con-
clusions reached are not approved by
| congress.
Commissioner Jones has earnestly
| devoted himself to the task of contri-
and civilization OF the Indians. lie be-
gan a study of the question early in his
administration, and during, the past two
Years has put into force definite poll
icies, based on his own observations
and the experience of students of the
question. He expresses the opinion that
if the Indian bureau is permitted To
work out in its own VA the policies
adopted. much will be accomplished in
a comparatively short time tending to
the betterment OF the wards of the
government.
Three or four years ago Commits
sioner Jones came to the conclusion
that the elimination OF reservation lines
IL, -! T;
states that tirle has not altered this
conclusion. But before the Indian will
be prepared to take sucn a step-the
Indian must be taught TO work with his
hands.
AS preliminary to the Indian work
ing for himsilf. and on his own re.
spcnsibility, the bureau some time ago
decided that it would seek work for
the Indians. and under take the tasN
of seeing to it that those Who were
given employment on public works.
adjacent to the reservations, received
adequate compensation and We're hui
namely treated. This plan has been
put into effect in the southwest terri
tories, where it has met with gratifying
success. 1t has also been tried on some
of the reservations in the Dakotas,
but the missionaries in that section
have thrown obstacles in the way of
the officials, and as q result in some
instances the reds have grown rebel
lious.
An adjunct to the policy of providing
labor for the Indians is the Withdrawal
of rations. The officials believe that il
the ration system is abandoned and the
In, Sc I'D i1.Ni nat
he must earn his bread by the sweat of
his brow that it will ultimately compel
him to work Neither of these plans
has been made Elective in an unduly
effective manner the officials assert.
1t Mas been charged that the with
d-awal of rations is an unnecessary
cruelty; also that it is premature. The
officials reply by SAYING that the time
will never come when the government
may cease supporting the reds unless
heroic means are adopted to force IT.
Hence the abandonment of the ration
system, which is now matter of
very short time. Another charge made
against the commissioner of Indian at
fairs is that the labor system he has
recently adopted is little better than
that the Indian VIII be COM
PEELED to work: that his services will be |
let under contract; that his wage earn !
ing will be collected by the government.
This is denied in the most vigorous and
sweeping language by the commissions
or and his assistants. They assert that
in no case have compulsory methods
Been utilized, and except where inter-
ference has been gratuitously advanced
by over-zealouS advocates of Indian
lights the plan has worked admirably
and with evident satisfaction to the
reds.
Commissioner Jones is now engaged
in the task of collecting data on this
subject. He has just returned from an
extensive tour of the Indian country in
the far vest and in the southwest. He
expects To place before congress at the
session an elaborate report on
the results attained in the employment |
of Indians the experience of his bu
raau relative to the withdrawal of ra |
tons at several agencies his ideas as to |
the NATURALIZATION of the affairs of
the various tribes and the beneficent
results that would follow such am inno-
walton. together with the report of the t
special commission appointed by the
president to look into the Indian ques
ton.
Il am of the opinion said Commits
soner Jones, that our policy looking
t. the civilization of the Indians of the
United States will he endorsed by con-
eress. If my expectations are realized
Shall ask for the enactment of appro-
pirate legislation to make these plans
the permanent policy of the Indian adj
of the governments
E0R GRAND ApMv pnRrv