New-York tribune., 1910-10-20
WORK FOR THE INDIANS.
Conditions in New York Dis
cussed at MohOnk Conference.
TO BREAK UP RESERVATIONS
Report Favors Allotment of
Lands in Severalty, and Ex-
else Law Enforcement.

Mohonk Lake y. Y. Oct. 19.-The Lake
Mohonk Conference of Friends of the Ind
ians and Other Dependent People began its
twenty-eighth annual meeting to-day, with
the following officers: President, Elmer f.
Brown. Commissioner of Education, Wash
ington; secretaries, Henry S. Haskins. Mo-
honk Lake and DR.. Charles S. Meserve.
Raleigh, y. c.; treasurer. +. NJ. Wistar'
Philadelphia: business committee, Dr. An
drew S Draper Commissioner of Educa-
ton, Albany, chairman
The morning session was devoted TO Ind
ian affairs and a feature of it was the suo-
mission of the report of a special committee
appointed last year to investigate cond1-
tions on the New York State reservations.
The committee consists OF Charles An
drews. of Syracuse. chairman; w. w
Cocks. of Old Westbury; Regis Fl. Post. OF
Rayport: Daniel Smiley. of MohOnk Lake.
and J. S WhppIe. of Salamanca. The re
port advocates the breaking up of the res
ervations and the allotment of the lands OF
the Indians in severalty- The recommends
,ionS of-the committee are summarized as
follows:
That this conference memorialize Con
gress TO enact the necessary legislation for
the extingUishment of the claim or tne
ment of the lands of the Cattaraugus ana
AIlegany reservations among the lndlans
entitled thereto, having regard 10 all III
tereStS involved.
That the Legislature of this state be re
Cuested to cooperate with the generaI gov
eminent IN the matter.
That the Legislature be also requested
to place the reservations Of the state under
control Of the State Board of Health for
sanitary. purposes: to make the ne necesSdiTs 5ir;-
uent of a building for a trade school IN
connection with the Thomas orphan ASy-
Ium for the education of Indian children
That the officials be urged TO exercise
/ prompt and effective administration or the
excise laws on the Indian reservations
The report elected strong approval from
! Henry r Rowland of Buffalo, president
of the Thomas Indian School; Dr. A. D.
! Lake. Of Gowanda. physician 10 the New
! York Indian Agency. and T w. Hartman
! from the Cattaraugus reservation Mate
rial differences regarding police powers on
reservations developed. Andrew s. Draper
advocating national and DR.. Lyman Abbott
state control.
Among the speakers were Albert K
| Smiley founder of the conference. who
made a brief address of welcome; Presi-
/ dent Brown Henry Roe Cloud. of Whine
bago. Neb., Yale's first Indian graduate
I class Of 10: Matthew K Sniffen. secretary
of the Indian Rights Organization. and
( Francis F. Leupp. former Commissioner OF
! Indian Affairs
| The Indian to-day is demoralized anC
| degraded largely because he pays M
| taxes" said Mr.. Cloud. Why not tax hin
/ or his inherited lands and make him a
| respected factor IN the community? Why
! not organize something like the George
| Junior Republic among the younger gen
/ Grafton of Indians TO educate and elevate
| him. The Indian, he said, must be saved
| from the inside" not the outside.
| To-night's session was in charge Of Rob
! ert @. Valentine, Commissioner of Indian
| Affairs, and all the speakers were con-
| nected with the Indian service.
Commissioner Valentine said that the
whole problem of the Indian is the virtues
| and the vices of the lives of the Indians
| and their neighbors-" The country was
abandoning its policy of segregation and
pensions. and trying to make a useful citi-
zen of the Indian. There was a growing
desire on the part Of his white neighbors
to see him prosperous and healthy. Farm
ing said the Commissioner. was the In
dians' main chance. instruction was being
given TO them, and they were responding
to it well. A vigorous campaign was being
carried on against tuberculosis and the
sale of liquor.