Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-01

senator
poetic "but," but he didn't lose the
thread of what he had to say.
Should Have Lands
The United States" he resumed,
should purchase for those Indians a
sufficient tract of good land to sup
port them. 1t should be, as largely AZ
possible, the land that they formerly
owned. There is reason for this.
I'm the first place. they have their
old burying grounds on their former
lands and they have complained bit
terly when removed from those
grounds to their present so-called res
ervations.
Then, too, through speaking differ
ent dialects, these Indians have much
in common. They are nearly all Ro-
man Catholics, as is natural. as they
have been for more than a century
educated by the fathers. since the
Spanish padres settled among them.
They are now so scattered that they
have no regular ministrations.
"They complain because their chill
dren go unbaptized; because they
I themselves cannot marry in churchiy
form. Mind you, they marry, accord
ing to their own ways, and live good
lives even now. But they have been
taught to be married by priests in the
church, and because they cannot do this
they resent it. By concentrating them
this would be possible.
"They should have land enough so
that each one could have his patch on
which to raise his crops. Then this
one could go here and that one yonder
and they could pursue their farming
in good fashion.
Are Cramped for Room
Nov, the reservations are so small
some only about an acre and from
that on up to ten or twelve-that
their huts are cramped on little spaces
no larger than this room. You can
see that they haven't much chance for
farming there"
The senator looked his disgust. Then
the blue eyes twinkled and his face
broke into a smile at the absurdity of
a government asking an Indian or any
one else trying to farm on a space
about 2Ox2O feet.
when they were thus situated on a
good, big reservation" he resumed,
they would have their churches and
their schools, and their religious OBJ
servances would follow and their chill
dren could be educated. Then they
would be all right.
81 don't mean that the government
should simply place them there and
then go off and forget them. Not at
all. Their improvidence would soon
leave them as badly off as ever. 1t
should maintain an agent there and
look after them, see that they saved
their seed for the coming crop and
give them a general supervision"
"And let them pay for their farms
gradually?" he was asked.
Government Keep Title
mo" said he, and he smiled again.
mo Indian would ever do that. He
can't save money; has no idea Of it.
1t would take them generations to
make the first payments. No, let the
government keep title to the land, but
let them use it. Perhaps it could be
allotted later on; that remains to be
seen"
"Then have Catholic schools and
churches there?"
mot necessarily. Naturally, being
Catholics now, these Indians would
likely wish that same form of religion,
but make 1t free for ALL let any church
have the schools under government SUI
pervision and taught by government
paid men and women. Teach them the
simple rudiments, such as reading,
writing. arithmetic, carpentering and
farming. This is all they need"
Then the senator said few things
that will startle some fine theorists who
think they know all about what In
dians want better than does Lo himself
And he didn't mince matters when he
said it, either.
No Higher" Education
II am not an advocate of higher
education for the red man." he de-
clared. mo, sir. And his fist hit the
table hard. mo. sir"
you can't make white man out of
an Indian and it's useless to try. You
can't bring nm Indian nm IN fbe xvhita