El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-06
THINKS INDIANS
SHOULD Be FREE
Says the Indians
Should Be Given RespOn-
sibility Of Citizenship.

Washington, D. c., Jan. 6.-That ne
! American indian should be released as
soon as possible from the paternal car
of She United States government, now
his guardian in virtually everything
he does, was the opinion expressed IN
the annual report from the bureau CT
indian affairs submitted to secretary
of the interior Fisher by Robert q.
Valentine, until recently commissioner
and made public today
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
lock to their local government instead
of the national government. Ny 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
Progress during the year in teaching
the indian to be sober and industrious
IN educating him to be a better farmer
and mechanic, and in imparting health
principles, both as they apply indi-
vidually and in the home, was reported
Every indian, like every white
man." declared the commissioner, is
best fitted for some one thing. We are
trying to find that thing. One Of our
newest activities is to make every ef-
fort, both in the schools and among
the adults on the reservations, IN the
direction
Health Campaign Important.
The indian service in all its parts
showed increased activity during the
year, the report stated, not In extern
sion of jurisdiction, but in graphing
more deeply and more Intimately with
the problems it has to solve. The
campaign for good health and physi-
cal efficiency among the indians con-
tinued with increased momentum, the
need for this work being shown by
IL. F71# ~naa naN = 70 =
indians is so percent greater than that
among other classes of people in the
registrations area Of the United States,
while the mortality from tuberculosis
is three and a half times as great.
The home condition of the indians is
one of the most unsatisfactory features
of the indian problem, said the COM
missioner, fer which reason special at
tention is being given to the instruc-
ton OF indian girls. The character
and efficiency Of the training given to
them must be improved, he said, be-
cause it is realized that for the girls
more than for the boys the instruction
should be Of an intensive FORM Girls
can be kept in school only for a few
years after they have developed into
WomanhOOd, it was stated
The Returning Students.
The greatest investment the indian
service has. continues the report, is IN
the sc called returned students who
have been away at the larger schools
and have returned to live at or near
their home reservation There are
about $4,000 of these indians, who rep
resent an economic investment, it is
estimated, of about 10000, 600. These
students frequently are considered
merely trouble makers by the super
intendents Of the reservations, de-
clares the commissioner. The Superin-
tendents forget entirely, he adds, that
this class OF indians protest against
the order of things as they find il
when they return to their reservations
because they have seen better things,
but have not quite found their own
way to them And / am sorry 10 say,
he continues, that frequently the
greatest obstacle to their finding their
way lies in the government machinery
and personnel itself
The property interests OF the indians
constitute one Of the greatest estates
ever held in trust by any organization,
governmental or private, the report
states. Including the lands, forests.
water powers, minerals and funds held
IN tribal or individual ownership the
principal held by the government for
the indians amounts to $3.50, 600, 900;
and the interest and annual rentals
produce a total Of $4,000 900.
Should Encourage Indian Industry.
Among the Pimas and Apaches in
Arizona and some Of the tribes in Cali
fOrnia, as well as elsewhere, there are
expert basket WeaTerS who should be
worth of blankets made annually by
the Navajos constitutes their most i'm
portant means of support He points
to a woman basket weaver who made
a basket which the merchant now own
ing it values at $500, while she has
sold other masterpieces for from $3.50
to $3.50.
No work is nObler or more necessary
or more trying in the indian service
than that of the field matrOns and
women industrial teachers, according
to the commissioner The help given
by these women varies from instruc-
ton 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 children
not yet in school; industrial impulse
and opportunity must be given to in
dams who do not now value their
possessions; a chance has to be extend
ed to thousands of indian families for
living in sanitary homes, says the e
port only in this way it is de-
clared. can the day of the indians
emancipation from national guardian
ship be sped, and the obligation that
is upon US of affOrding the indians
the same opportunities, rights and
privileges as other Americans be dis
CHARGED "