Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-01-18
CIVILIzING
THE INDIANS
Paternal Government Hasn't
Made Much Headway in
Last Hundred Years
ANNUAL REPORT OF VALENTINE
Tells of Efforts to Teach Red
Skins to Farm and to
Be Decent.

Washington. Jan. lS,-In attempt
ling 10 put Uncle Sans Indian wards
Oh q sclrsustainiug basis, the Bureau
OIL Indian Affairs, during the fiscal
year ended June 30. 1910, bent every
effort to bring about that end, accord
ing 10 the annual report Of Commits
sioner Robert c. Valentine to the sec
rotary of the interior. made public to-
day Through the efforts Of its edu-
cational. farming and employment
branches the bureau has been well re-
1warded in it's efforts 10 make the In
dian a competent citizen Of the Unit
ed States.
Wonderful progress was made dur
ing the year covered by the report
in teaching the Indians how to work
their own lands says the commits
sioner Speaking on the farming prob
lem, Commissioner Valentine says.
The Indian service realizes that in
struction in farming is an essential
basic part of its present educational
policy and is, therefore making use
of every possible resource in order
to promote farming amon~ the In
dians" During the year number OF
. expert farmers were employed 10
teach the Indian the art Of agricul-
ture Declaring that the agricultural
fair has been cOnvincingly proved a
means of stimulating interest in farm
ing among the Indians by its success
!. among the Crows, Commissioner Val
J. -Ientine continues:
0 THE fair promotes healthy rivalry
t among Indians and furnishes ration
r al basis for meeting together. which
!. ought eventually to take the place Of
n the indiscrminate gatherings of In
r dians, which are usually productive
of considerable harm"
Reporting that two large railway
systems have offered to provide oppor-
tunitics for school boys who are learn
. ing trades or who are mechanically
II inclined, the commissioner says that
a the systematic connecting Of the in
ls duatrial education Of the schools with
ia the real work of the world will mean
IL the dawning of a new day in Indian
7o education, and from the human side,
IN the bridging over Of that critical pc.
IT, riOd in boys life when he leaves
I'd school and starts to work. is q serv.
IS ice of farreaching Importance Sym
IT, pathetic direction during those two
or three critical years" the commits.
sioner goes on to say. will mean the
economic and moral salvation OF many
P. boys and young men,
Trachoma and tuberculosis.
m In declaring that the health work
Of the bureau is not merely to care
for and cure those who are sick MOI
ne the reduction of the death rate bu
ul rather TO increase the vitality of the
er Indian race and to establish for it
IN. new standard of physical well-being,
ge the commissioner says that one of tn,
'. principal features Of the attack i
IT. An intensive attack upon the tw,
at diseases that most seriously menac,
the health of the ADMINISTRATION;
and tuberculosis"
er, Suppression of Liquor Traffic.
he AS a result Of the increased appro
IN priation for the suppression OF tn
in liquor traffic, the report says. unusu
ally extensive operations were con
Quoted covering practically ever
state Of the Union in which Indian
ID. reside During the year" the com
m. missioner says, 1857 new cases wer
+as placed on the dOckets, 1867 arrest
he were made, 747 indictments secured
nd and 1055 convictions obtained. Case
ted against 2S0 persons were dismisse
and % persons were acquitted"
The commissioner says that tn
bureau has been aided in its effort
in this line by the cooperation of tn
state officials and continues:
1t is gratifying to ind a few case
Al that the Indians themselves have Gil
M culated petitions addressed to tn
III home city or town councils askin
that saloon licenses be revoked an
the places closed.
bv Public Schools.
Progress, says the commissions
is being made in the work of connec
ing the Indian schools with the pu,
lie schools, and the association of Il
dian children with white children wi
CIV be a definite means of promoting th
VI assimilation Of the Indians into Ame
lcan life.
A comprehensive survey of th
condition of the schools througho,
l. the service was made during la,
year, reports the commissioner "Ol
OF school population of about 40 on
osi- (this does not include the five civilizf
+od tribes), there are in school 291S
ant leaving out of school 1885. Inclu
,oo ing public schools within reach
na, Indian children, there are accommod
,,na tions for 6,344 being unused. tn,
~ leaving 4,471 for whom there wou
49, appear to be no school accommod
900 tions. The chief supervisor
'.o, 'Y schools is of the opinion, howevt
Nv that with the exception of the Naval
'nai and Apaches, all other Indian oh
~ dren can be well cared for in schoc
lne already in existence"
~ Utilizing the Lands.
Ill After saying that there are millio
AIN OF acres of Indian lands in Indi
srter reservations, the report saws th