The Washington times., 1905-12-05

reserve like the Wichita reserve and
game refuge provision should be made
for the preservation OF such a herd. 1
believe that the scheme would be of
| economic advantage, for the robe Of the
| buffalo is of high market value. and
the same is true Of the robe OF the
crOssbred animals.
Life-Saving Service.
l call your especial attention to the
sesirability of giving 70 the members
of the Life-Saving Service pensions
such as arc given 20 firemen and police
men in all our great cities.
| The men in the Iife-Saviug Service
continually and in the most matter of
| fact way do deeds such as make Ameri-
cans proud of their country. They have
no political influence; and they live in
such remote places that the really
| heroic services they continually render
| receive the scantiest recognition from
| the public. II is unjust for a great
nation ike this to permit these men TO
/ become totally disabled or to meet death
I'm the performance Of their hazardous
| duty and yet TO give them no sort OF
| reward.
If one of them serves thirty years Of
his life in such a position he should
! surely be entitled to retire on half pay.
as a fireman or policeman does, and if
he becomes totally incapacitated
through accident or sickness or loses
his health in the discharge of his duty
he or his family should receive PEN
sion just as any soldier should.
call your attention with especial
earnestness to this matter because 1t
appeals not only to our judgment but
TO our sympathy; for the people on
whose behalf 1 ask it are comparatively
| few in number. render incalculable ser
vice Of a particularly dangerous kind.
and have no one TO speak for them.
Indian as a Citizen.
During the year just past. the phase
OF the Indian question which has been
most sharply brought to public atten-
! ton is the larger legal Significance of
the Indians induction into citizenship.
| This has made itself manifest not only
in a great access of litigation in which
the citizen Indian figures as a party
defendant and in a more widespread dis
position 10 levy local taxation upon his
personality. but in decision Of the United
States Supreme Court which struck
away the main prop on which has
hitherto rested the Governments be
nevolent effort to protect him against
the evils of intemperance.
The court holds, in effect, that wher
an Indian becomes, by virtue of an al
lotment of land to him. a citizen Of the
State in which his land is situated, he
passes from under Federal control ir
such matters as this and the acts OF
the Congress prohibiting the sale ol
! gift to him of intoxicants become sub
stantially imperative. 1t is gratifying
| TO note that the States and municipali
ties of the West which have most a
stake in the welfare of the Indians ar
taking up this subjecr and arc tryint
to supply, in a measure at least. thI
abdication of fits trusteeship forced upoI
the Federal Government
Law Against ''Bootleggers"
Nevertheless. / would urgently pres
upon the attention Of the Congress tn
: question whether sonfe amendment o
: the internal revenue laws might not b
of aid in prosecuting those malefactors
= known in the Indian country as boot
4 leggers," who are engaged at once Il
;. defrauding the United States Treasur
[ OF taxes and, what IS Ear more import
e ant. in debauching the Indians by car
E rying liquors illIcitly into territory sti
I completely under Federal jurisdiction.
4 Among the crying present needs o
2 the Indians are more day schools sit
= uated in the midst OF their settlement.
/ more effective instruction in the indus
tries pursued on their own farms, an
= a more liberal extension Of the field
matron service. which means the educa
ton of the Indian women in the art
OF home making. Until the mothers ar
well started IN the right direction W
cannot reasonably expect much fror
: the children who are soon 10 form a
j integral part OF our American citizen
. ship.
Moreover. the excuse continually ad
e vanced by male adult Indians for refus
: ing offers OF remuneratlve employmen
S at a distance from their homes IS tina
t they dare not leave their families 10
long out Of their sight. One effectua
e remedy for this state OF things is {
= employ the minds and strengthen III
= moral fiber OF the Indian women-th
y end to which the work Of the field ma
e ron is especially directed. L trust tha
= the Congress will make its appropria
II lions for Indian day schools and fel
G natrons as generous as may consi,
+ with the other pressing demands upo
4 Its providence.