Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-01-18
THE INDIAN
As CITIZEN
Satisfactory Progress In Thai
Direction Being Made
COMMISSIONERS REPORT
The Greatest Roadway Is
Being Made in Farming
Agricultural Fair System
Is Stimulating Competi-
ton Among Red Men.

Washington, Jan. lin attempt
ing to put Uncle Sans Indian wards
on u self sustaining basis the bureau
Of Irdian affairs during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1910. bent every
effort TO bring about that end, accord
ing IN the annual report of Commits
| sioncr Robert q. Valentine to the
secretary of the interior, made pub
lie today. Through the efforts of its
educational, farming and employment
! branches the bureau has been well
| rewarded in its efforts to make the
Indian a competent citizen of the
| United States.
! Wonderful progress was made dur
| ng the year covered by the report
in teaching the Indians how to work
their own lands. says thecOmmissiOn-
! or. Speaking on the farming prob
| lem Commissioner Valentine says:
The Indian service realizes that in
struction in farming is an essential
basic part of the present educational
policy and is, therefore. making use
| of every possible resource in order to
| promote farming among the Indians
4 During the year a number of expert
| farmers were employed to teach the
Indian the art of agriculture. De-
! claring that the agricultural fair has
been convincingly proved means OF
/ stimulating interest i'm farming by its
success among the Crows, Commits
sioner Valentine continues: The fair
promotes rivalry among Indians and
| furnishes a rational basis for meet
l fpp nal IL
| to take the place of the indiscrimi-
nate gatherings of Indians. which are
usually productive of considerable
/ HARM
| Reporting that two large railroad
systems have offered to provide for
school boys who are learning trades
or who are mechanically inclined. the
commissioner says that the syste-
matte connecting of the industrial
education of the schools with the
real work of the world will mean
the dawning of a new day in Indian
education, and. from the humane
side. the bridging over of that criti-
cal period of a boys life when he
leaves school and starts to work, is
a service of far-reaching Importance.
Sympathetic direction during those
two or three critical years" the com
missioner goes on to say, will mean
the economic and moral salvation of
many boys and young men,"
In declaring that the health work
of the bureau is not merely to care
for and cure those who are sick nor
the reduction of the death rate, but
rather to increase the vitality of the
Indian race and to establish for il a
new standard of physical well-being,'
the commissioner says that one Of the
principal features of the attack is IAN
intensive attack upon the two diseases |
that most seriously menace the health |
of the ADMINISTRATIONS and tuber- |
culOsis.
As result of the increased APP
preparation for thesuppression ~ the |
liquar traffic. the report says, un-
usually extensive operations were |
conducted covering practically every |
state Of the Union in which Indians |
reside During the year" says the |
commissioner. 1857 new cases were |
placed on the dockets. 1, 657 arrests |
were made. 747 indictments secured, |
LOSS convictions obtained. Cases |
against $50 persons were dismissed |
and % persons were acquitted"
The commissioner says that the bu
reau has been aided in it's efforts i'm
this line BY the cooperation of the |
state officials. and continues:
1t is gratifying to find in a few
cases that the Indians themselves
have circulated petitions addressed to
the home city or town councils ask
ing that saloon licenses be revoked |
and the places closed.
Progress" says the commissioner.
is being made in the work of con- !
Meeting the Indian schools with the
public schools, and the association of
Indian children with white children
will be definite means of promoting
the assimilation of the Indians into
American life
a comprehensive survey of the |
condition of the schools throughout
the service was made during the l
year" reports the commissioner. out
Of a school population of about 10000
Cthis does not include the Five Civil
LIKED tribes) there are in school 29.1S5,
leaving out of school 10S15 Includ-
ing public schools within reach of In
dian children there are accOmmoda-
tions for 6.344 being unused. thus
leaving 4471 for whom there would
appear to be no school accOmmOda-
tons. The chief supervisor of schools
is of the opinion, however, that with