New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-11
A STUDY OF THE INDIAN.
Problem of Dealing Nth Wards of
Nation Discussed By Commissioner.
Trrom &c rrthune Bureasa.I

~ a
saw and so fascnates the reader that It Is Win az
aor,ltv laid down until completed must prove
so severe shock to those whe from i0ine 70 -
have occasion to consult government ~ sr,
shat X seems only fair to issue pubic NNaILlihs
sbese Qualities attach the first annual report -
TTn,fed states Indian Commissioner. Francis d
Beupp. -.,or,
The first forty odd pages OF Mr. Leupps Iepo POI.
nreseut SO forceful and convincing an aEsli ~
rational and humane treatment of the Aola4i ~
.o~DrebsDs,ve an understanding Of the pra olen %
,vsic, the Commissioner IS devotiig hlnseI, "nu
SO conclusive q response 10 the objections o. -
tcal and chimerical would be friends OF the ~ :.
that q careful reading OF the text OF Ihe iePO ~
self will well repay every American cltlSen' -
fha average man or woman Mr.. Leupp's dlscSssh'n
Of the Indian problem viii prove liberal educa'ioA
the subject
To o++ayont 70 co1dense the Indian Commission
erSs discussion of the problem MS oeiilel'.O. ~
his rocv and the reasons which have actuateu A's
aaontIon would be to mutiate report deserving OF
better treatment, and this account OF II nus
therefore be confined merely to the presentation "a
artain excerpts TO furnish the basis Tor sofne Gull
oeptIons Of the whole.
The following are seIecIons HlsUe i10 ~
from the report;
The commonest mistake made by his white well
-vishers in dealing with the Indian is the as ii9
30, ZEE St aou1monest IS the assumption that because
F e II with other nonCaucasans like the
negro for instance. The truth Is ina ING +1tne Of
mas as olsGr' 1,z-ed and he viii never be Judged
Alright til we learn to me2suIe nun b by 1ts asred
# some more powerful race were to usorp ooli''o"
Of the sooo6 or 10000 Indian children Of school
age IN the United States probably al lea t VEST
fourths Will settle down N that part OF Cne
zvFfc5 we stin style the frontier. Most OF tness
[dn9 ny t9 s hope an ever ncreasin-part win
enter the general labor market as IuIap W.
SircEars miners railroad hands, or what not. now
II any o i G hod Of manual workers from being
al off 10
Asia or extract the cube root of 1234567S9. shan
ian BOY is better equipped for his life struggle on
frontier ranch when he can read the Simple t E rs
ter which is Ineligible though maybe III epeIlleo
80 e+1reI-ee1er IL cheating him Beyond these
scholastic requirements his time could be put TO It's
baS- bV lear
ness how TO straighten a sprung tire on his wagon
neel h3w to fasIe9 i9 TO- tbe hundred other
bits Of handy tinkering which are so necessary 20
girI who has learned only the rudiments Of read
Ing, writing and ciphering; but knows also how TO
and 10 cook her husbands dinner will be worth
vastly more as mistress of a log cabin than one
who has given years OF STUDY 10 the Ornamental
FinaiiS. we must strive In every way possible to
make the Indian active factor in the upbuilding
1Lq 3ooII- cbaTiebed On the from
tier that he is a sort OF necessary nuisance sur
vtving from remote period, like the sagebrush and
the giant cactus must be dispelled, and the way
To this end WoulQ, for instance, teach MN 10
transact all Of his financial business that he can
the United States Treasury as the only source Of
material blessings Any money Of his which ne
profit should prefer TO deposit for him, in reason
themselves suicientiy for its eafekeeping, that
the industries OF the neighborhood will have the
better of for such prosperity may come to an
should encourage every proper measure which
points toward absolying the Indian from his obso-
hS sf Of him the faresi price fs whether near the
70 be to keep him moving steadily down the path
straints and artificial protection toward the broad
citizen.
& o m , s9 9hoa sex to
tinguished from one for whom The government is
continually strainng itself TO find something to do.
he the povererf ietf iIi a 5ctfoS5s
needs to be supplied and making EXCUSES Of one
1lnd and another 20 create means Of employ
fraud. like the white man whom some philanthro-
s' nes o o fSIg Pie q 4FcAs rom one side OF
employment bure4u recently organized for the Ind
hunger it NAV be- have bae5 t5I oe5 ~ Inc cn OF
they would ike TO earn some money and nian n
them upon ranches, upon railroads IN mines
an opening for dollar 10 be got for a days
The Indian character is often misjudged because
sIsoiec rom poor specimens. As Americans we
foreign tourists who have never visited US in our
5 9eS. ana whose Impressions Of our whole people
up at hotels and in public conTeyances On our
own part. II we wish 10 know more Of the Italian
people, for instance, we do not visit the pauper
fSiony Of Rome or accept as the standard type Of
Sne nation the lazzaroni who swarm around the
euays Of Venice IN ike manner # we are to treat
the hangeron about the edges of an AGENCY or By
LIe ,IS&zy fellow who lounges ali the day in a
real Indian we have got go back into fhe wilder
He- & @ s wh5te ways have not penetrated
OF hospitality, kind parent, genial companion a
bu lii pretty good foundation upon which to
A white visitor among the Moqui in Arizona,
looking at some Of the earthenware coarse and
Euoe N quality, but ornamented deliberately with
s}yIn6ohc AgQres OF serpents and lightning and
SIo4as . ana cropping RAIN remarked on the sym
indian who made that vase would have been bet
OF the mesa
The criticism was founded on a wrong principle
Here was piece Of work showing real artistic
spirit Hoeing corr is right enough, but we cannot
all hoe corn Some Of US must teach, and some
write for the press. and some sell goods, and some
build houses. We are ali equally producers and il
ton the world would be a cheerless and uncom
loTIaDIe pace inoeeo Iorn VIII ICED US but 1
mental occupation. Aside entirely from the oues
higher civilization, may well ask ourseIve!
whether beauty has no place IN the social economy
for having It The vase has its use IN the world a
The critic has further word Of censure for tn,
character Of the decorations expressing his regret
Ian sticks out even in his characterization Of a
vase. Here again was false note OF comment
Believe as strongly as may in winning the Ind
ian from his supersttions il wouI3 be hard to tell
o h @ere go R y the Indan f rdu
his art spread his fetchisn With al our boastet
or the Sleeping Beauty from the libraries of ou
children, nor would We The mythical Santa Claus
and his chimney still a feature of the Christ
mas celebration, a festival supposed TO be com
Inennorative OF the birth Of Christianity in the per
son Of its Founder.
9 @ IN NaT t B Bs bee wS GT T
them and not merely for thelr "aerproot te1tn I