The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-07-08
POWERS SHOWN
OFFICIAL QUERIES
Some Say to Force White
Civilization Upon Them
Will Destroy Race.

inc SOf u uDleuI HIS Iahell Inelr lana
it is under a moral obligation to sup
port and care for the Indians forever.
This group is a small reactionary MI
nority, made up almost wholly of
chiefs, headmen and full boods of the
less progressive tribes who say they
want no white doings." Some pro-
test against government Interference in
tribal dances and other ceremonials.
and number express the view that
the Indians are a sovereign race,
whose customs should not be changed
and with whom the United States
should continue to deal by treaty.
Third.-Those who express the hope
of eventual civilization and full citi-
Zenship for all Indians, but urge that
immediate citizenship would generally
be bad for the Indians. Writers of this
class say that the average Indian is
not sufficiently acquainted with the
ways of the white men to compete
with them successfully in business or
otherwise and that if forced to rely
upon his own resources would he dis
eliminated against industrially and po-
litically. Some of the e say that race
prejudice is so strong t would be inn
possible for Indians Il obtain justice
in the courts of some states. Many of
| them urge that to give Indians their
| property without restrictions is to in
/ vite unprincipled white men to take it
away from them and leave the Indians
| destitute in a short time. While nearly
all who write in this way agree that
many individuals in the numerous
tribes are ready for citizenship and
should be given full independence at
once. they also agree that there are
great numbers of Indians who are not
civilized and will not be civilized for
years to come, if ever. and that to sud
denly withdraw government patronage
| and supervision from these people
| means their ruin Writers who take
this view of the Indian problem usual
| Iy emphasize the Indians fear of tax
| alton and urge that lands given to In
| dams should be made exempt from
| taxation for period of years. The
writer's in this class, too, dwell largely
| upon the weaknesses of Indians. Even
educated Indians, say some of the
writer's, are more susceptible to temp
tation and fall victims to gambling.
whisky, dancing and other forms Of
immortality more readily than white
men LaZiness is also asserted by
these writers to be the crowning weak
ness of the Indians.
In answer to the third question there
is a remarkable unanimity of opinion
among the writer's, to the effect that
the government should do more to
teach the Indians practical and sci
| fia of fqf air1sr
raising.
Divergent Views.
Scarcely two tribes have the same
exact conditions and problems to face.
and in many instances members of the
same tribe express Numerically op-
posing ideas as to what should be done
. with or for that tribe. For instance,
one member of the Blackfeet tribe
says, There ought to be a white man
!. to teach the Indians how to farm
.. Another member of the same tribe on
: the same reservation writes: The gov
eminent should stop the useless eX-
penditure Of our money for irrigation
canals 1t is just as foolish and use
less to try to make successful farmers
out of these Indians as it would be to
I y
I wheelbarrOw."
The chief of tribe of Indians in
Wisconsin writes, 1T would be good
thing for US to be entirely free from
the Indian bureau" Another member
of the same tribe says, Il have never
had the handling of property, ] do not
, understand business matters, and | do
; not believe l could properly attend TO
such things without advice"
, use Indian money to buy stock for
the Indians" writes a South Dakota
; Cheyenne Indian. "Cash payments do
Indians no permanent good"
Representatives of Indian tribes in
Washington and Oregon. including the
Indians at the Yakima. Tulalip, Muck
leshoot, Misqually, Chehalis, Quinaielt
and other reservations generally agree
that for Indians of these tribes full
citizenship and independence would
he n good thing. One of these Indians
writes. IF given absolute ownership
of a farm these men would work even
harder, for then they would have an
opportunity to prove to the white man
that they are his equal in thrift and
ability" Another member of the same
tribe writes. Give US more education
and more trades
! Condemns Present System.
''The essence of the present system
of government help for the Indians is
opposed to self help and strikes at the
root of individuality and independence
of character writes an Indian from
Fort Peck. Mont. THE present system
lowers the self respect of the Indian.
;. who should be taught self reliance"
''To give an Indian money or prop
erty that he does not know how to uSa
is to harm him." writes White Earth
Indian from Minnesota. give each
Indian an allotment and supply him