The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-29
Simon Michelstt Believes Minnesota
Indians Could Be Made More
independent.
Many Of ths Younger Element Well;
sa Qualified to Earn =
Living.

1 Simon Michelet,. Indian agent at the
White Earth. agency, has. been in,Minne--
apolis for. several days disbursing to
claimants in Minneapolis and st. Paul the
last Of an annuity payment of $4,000.
Z : Mr. Michelet has. made a study of the
Indian question since he became agent
OF the Indain department and has some
ideas in regard TO the policy Of the gov
ernment toward the Indian which seem
to be we'll worth consideration by the
department., and by congress- Mr.. Miche-
let calls attention to the fact that, 7on
his list OF benefieiaries OF this annuity ne
has men worth. all the way. from: IS. 900 to
$40, 900 or $50, 900 land :. that the govern
ment is paying large sums annually TO 1O,-
900 Indians in : the. state; of Minnesota.
half of whom probably are able to. earn
their own living and the majority Of
whom are positively edam amaged by this an
nual annuity !, I<sI - Is, Z. ss:s,5i
Under the existing. laws, while Indians
are allowed to take, lands in ,seyeralty and
the greater part Of the White Earth reser-
vation> has already been allotted, they are
not allowed to sell their holdings or lease
them for anything except cash rent. The
result is that land. that is not occupied and
used, by the Indians a is idle. Very few
tenants leasing small tracts are able to
pay cash rent, or are willing to- do SO.
Mr. Michelet. would permit certain Indians
to sell their land, If they. desire, when
ever the government came, to a final set
tlement with them and cut off the relation
of guardian and ward. .= :. s>.:;~ -..E.,s.--s
l.: 49, An Advantage to Indians. ~. 4
There are, of COURSE a good many old
Indians whom the government is under
obligations to take: care of and those who
have made but little progress toward civil
| ization, as the Blanket Indians Of Leech
Lake, who are mot yet ready tosbe thrown
upon their own resources, But If the
government were to exercise proper dis
crimina ton in the matter, thousands who
are now on the annuity rolls could, with
great advantage to- themselves las well as
to the government, be thrown upon their
own responsibilities. It would be of ma
| terial advantage to the Indians, because
most of the young men and women have
been educated in at least the rudiments
of a common school education and are
equipped to. earn their. own living, either
on their. own land or in any occupation
which may, attract them and for which
they are adapted, the same as, white boys
and girls. When this. is done the Indian
question is settled; and. with this plan
adopted twenty-five or thirty years. would
! wind. up the IrSdian. business. There
would be Indian Of course. breeds" and
full bloods. utz5they would be mixed in
BY them and so civilized that their ex-
istence in the state would be of no more
| significance than the presence here Of sc
many people OF some foreign nationality
who are freely received under the inrni-
grafton laws. ~
! ~" Injudelous Charity, ~,.1e
| sThe Indian isTtnet different from the
white man Whenssit teomes TO- making {
leafer Of him bysinjudicious. charity Sc
! long as the Indian is the ward of the:statt
he, is inclined in greater orrless numbers
to ,>ol1 ,f *
the. government, provides Naturally, HI
feels less. responsibility for his .eWn sup
port and has less inclination to provide
it. If, however, ;hef,WeEe, given a piece 9
land to do with iaae he plfased--to farm it
to sell it or to. rent tf;jf he were settled
with in full for all his claims upon thu
Egovernn1ent rand turned loose tupon hi
develop Industry and capacity, which ar
now thoroly- discouraged by the unwis
policy Of the government, :.
4 This IS the conclusion of Mr.. Michele
from his own observation extending over
period OF two years on the White Eartl
No man has had 4 better opportunity t
, study the question and his opinion j
certainly entitled TO serious consideration
, He comedies that some of the Indian
would waste their resources and soon los
all they had, but argues that they woul
still be able to work and earn their ow
Iliving and since the government has edu
Gated the young men and. women an
fitted them to make their own way ther
is no reason why they should not be re
quired to- do So. Furthermore, he say
that a great many Of them are anxious t
; be placed in a position where they ca
control their own property and assun1
, entire responsibility for their own sur
port.
w.. II. y, -.