The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-10

only for a few years after they have
developed into womanhool, 1t was
stated.
The greatest investment the Indian
service has. continues the report. ia in
the so-called returned students who
have been away at the larger schools
n nave returned to live m or near
their home reservation. There arc
about $4,000 of these Indians. who
represent an economic investment. Il
~ estimated. of about $780, 900. 900.
Ihess students frequently are consid-
cred merely trouble makers by tho
suPertntendents Of the reservations,
declares the commissioner. The SUI
perihtendcnts forget entirely. he adds.
mat this class Ut Indians protest
find II when they return to their res.
srvati"n because they have seen
better things. but have no, quite found
thcf own way to them. And am
sorry to say" hi continues, "that FIRE.
quentiy the greatest obstacle to their
tnd'ns their way lies in the govern
ment machinery and personnel itself.
Every Indian school in the country
should consider 1t a vital part of its
daily work to keep track of The stu.
dents VIII" have attended it. These
returned students are the hope of tho
Indian problem. We would hardly
think o depending a similar amount
! training a race horse and then
turn him loose under unfavorable
range conditions to shift for HIMSELF
The property interests of the In
dians constitute IL of the greatest
estates ever held in trust by any or
SANITATION. governmental or private,
the report states. Including the lands.
forests, water powers minerals and
funds held in tribal or individual own
ership the principal held Ivy the gov
eminent for the Indians amounts to
s750.000.O 900: and the interest and an
nual rentals produce a total of $l2.-
O00. 900.
ShouM l'rcscrv" Art.
Indian art and the industries which
produce ii should he carefully pre-
served. in the opinion of the commits
sioneI. the making of Navajo blankets.
of the higher grades of headwork and
hasketry and of pottery should be
fostered and preserved.
Among the Fimas and Apaches in
Arizona n some Of the tribes in Call
ifornia. as We'll as elsewhere. there
are expert basket weavers who should
be encouraged, he says. while the
100000 worth of blankets made an
nually by the Navaios constitute their
most important a of support. He
points to a basket weaver who
made a basket which the merchant
now owning 1t values at $1,000. while
she has sold other masterpieces for
from $3.50 to $3.50.
No work is nobler or more neces-
sary or more trying in the Indian
service than that of the field matrons
and n industrial teachers, ac-
cording to the commissioner. The
help given by these women varies
from instruction in sanitation to the
supervision of expenditures and the
settlement of domestic difficulties; and
they save the lives Of many children.
Educational opportunities must be
taken to thousands Of Indian chill
dren not yet in school: industrial i'm
pulse and opportunity must be given
to Indians who do not now value
their possessions; a chance has to be
extended to thousands of Indian FAM
lilies for living in s%anitar. homes. says
the report. "Only in this way" 1t is
declared. "can the day Of the Indians
emancipation from national guardian
J ship be sped. and the obligation that
is upon us of affoiding the Indians
the same opportunities. rights and
privileges as other Americans be dis.
charged" =.