The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-01-21
AMERICAN INDIAN
IS PROGRESSING
WONDERFUL PROGRESS is RE.
PORTED BY COMMISSIONER
VALENTINE.
ARE LEARNING TO BE FARMERS
Satisfactory Crusade Conducted for
Suppression of Liquor Traffic
Among the Red
Men.

Washington, Jan. 19.-1n attempt.
ing to put Uncle Sans Indian wards
on self-sustaining basis, the bureau
ended June 80, 1910, bent every eff
fort to being about that end, accord
ing to the annual report of Commits
sioner Robert G. Valentine to the Sec
rotary of the interior. Through the
efforts of it's educational, farming and
employment branches the bureau has
been well rewarded in it's efforts to
make the Indian a competent citizen
Of the United 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 commission
er. Speaking on the farming problem,
Commissioner Valentine says:
"The Indian service realizes that
instruction 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 among the Indians. "
During the year number of expert
farmers were employed to teach the
Indian the art Of agriculture.
Reporting that two large railway
systems have offered to provide oppor.
tunities for schoolboys who are learn.
ing trades or who are mechanically in.
clined, the commissioner says "the
systematic connection of the indus.
trial education of the schools with the
real work of the world will mean the
dawning of new day in Indian edu.
cation, and, from the human side, the
bridging over of that critical period
of boys life when he leaves school
and starts to work, is service of far.
reaching Importance. Sympathetic di.
rection during those two or three crit.
ical years." the commissioner goes on
to say, "vtll mean the economic and
moral salvation Of many boys and
young men"
Two Diseases to Fight.
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
new standard of physical wellbeing.'
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 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
and tuberculosis
AS a result Of the increased appro.
priation for the suppression of the
liquor traffic, the report says, unus.
ually extensive operations were con.
Quoted covering practically every state
of the union in which Indians reside"
During the year." the commissioner
says, 1857 new cases were placed
on the dockets, 1857 arrests were
made, TAT indictments secured, and
LOSS convictions obtained. Cases
against 280 persons were dismissed
and % persons were acquitted"
The commissioner says that the bu.
reau has been aided in it's efforts in
this line by the cooperation of the
state officials, and continues:
1T is gratifying to find in 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"
Inroads on Liquor Traffic.
Progress, says the commissioner, is
being made in the work of connecting
the Indian schools with the public
schools, and the association of Indian
children with white children will be a
definite means Of promoting the ASST
initiation OF the Indians into Amer
lean life.
"A comprehensive survey of the con.
dition of the schools throughout the
service was made during last year."
reports the commissioner. "Out of a
school population of about 10000 (this
does not include the Five Civilized
Tribes) there are in school 29,1S5,
leaving out Of school 1885. 1nclud.
ing public schools within reach of
Indian children, there are accommoda-
tions for 6,344 being unused, thus
leaving 4,471 for whom there would
appear to be no school accommoda-
tions. The chief supervisor of schools
is of the opinion, however, that with
the exception Of the Navajos and
Apaches, all other Indian children can
be we'll cared for in schools already
in existence"