Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-06
FREE THE INDIANS,
U.S.BUREAU ASKS

UuOIDUnEHU HOMO
Washington, Jan. 6.--That the
American Indian Should be released
as soon as possible from the paternal
care of the United States government,
now his guardian in virtually every
thing he does, was the opinion ex-
pressed in the annual report from the
bureau Of Indian affairs submitted to
Secretary Of the Interior Fisher by
Robert G. Valentine, until recently
commissioner aad made pubic today.
The then commissioner voiced the
hope that the day might be near
when the United States will finally
have lifted its hands from Indian af-
fairs, and all Indians in all respects
Will stand on an equal footing with
all their fellow Americans"
With all the expedition compatible
with the indians welfare" he added,
they should be made subject to the
laws of their states and be taught TO
look TO their local government instead
Of the national government. My con
viction is that no possible obstacle
should be placed in the way Of the
transformation OF Indian affairs ad-
ministered by the United States into
the affairs Of normal citizens under
the ordinary Jurisdiction of the
states.
II do not suggest further authority
for enlarged federal Jurisdiction over
minor offenses on reservations. I'm
poftaAt questions Of marriage and d.
vorce illustrate difficult points. OF
which the only proper solution appears
to be education of Indians, whether
or not they are citizens, 10 comply
with the Jaws Of their states"
Progress during the year in teach
ing the Indian TO be sober and indus
trious. in educating him to be a bet
ter farmer and mechanic, and in i'm
parting health principles, both as they
apply individually and in the home,
was reported
Every Indian, like every white
man" declared the commissioner, lis
best fitted for some one thing. We
are trying 10 find that thing. One OF
our newest activities is 10 make every
effor. both in the schools and among
the adults on the reservations, in the
direction OF vocational guidance"
The Indian service in all its parts
showed increased activity during the
year, the report stated, not in extern
sion Of Jurisdiction, but in grapplihg
more deeply and more intimately with
the problems IL has to solve" The
campaign for good health and physic
ally efficiency among the Indians con
tinued with increased momentum. the
need for this work being shown by the
fact that the death rate among the
Indians is so per cent greater thar
that among other classes Of people In
the registration area Of the United
States, while the mortality from tn
berculos's is three and a half times
as great,
The war against the sale OF liquor
10 Indians was "waged with continu
Gus vigor and successful results" the
report added, land the fight agains
gambling is beginning to bear fruit.
two convictions were secured for thu
sale Of liquor TO Indians in Washing
ton, under the dome of our capitol,
showing, he said that the Indian
though hundreds of miles distant from
his home. has not lost his lust for fire
water, and that the laws as now il
force are applicable anywhere"
The home condition OF the Indian
is one Of the most unsatisfactory feat
ures OF the Indian problem, said tn
commissioner, for which reason sp'
Cial attention is being given to the in
struction OF Indian girls The chara,
ter and efficiency Of the training 81,
;. en- to them must be improved, he sale
y because II is realized that for tn
girls more than for the boys the IL
struction should be OF an intensiv
form. Girls can be kept in schoC
only for a few years after they hav
developed into womanhood, II wa
stated.
The greatest Investment the India
service has, continues the report,
in the so-called returned students VIII
have been away at the larger school
and have returned TO live at or nea
their home reservation. There ar
about $4,000 of these Indians, VIII
represent an economic investment,
IS estimated. OF about 100000
These students frequently are CO..