The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-05-12
VIEWS OF INDIANS
WARDS OF GOVERNMENT ASKED
WHAT ITS POLICY TOWARD
THEM SHOULD BE.
REPLIES ARE DIVERSIFIED
Younger Men Think They Should Have
Their Property and Be Made In
dependent of the Bureau
When Competent.
IN eEoReE CLINTON.

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terror Franklin K Lane has submitted
dian wards of the government. The
Indians who have been asked to an
swer the questions reside on different
government reservations all over the
country. Here are the questions:
1. Do you think it would be good
thing for you to have your property
and be Independent Of the Indian bu-
reau?
2. What reasons have you for think
ing SO?
g. What one thing should the gov
eminent do for the Indians that it is
not now doing?
| 1t is Mr.. Lanes desire to find out
what the American Indians them
selves think should be the policy of
the government toward them. The
mailing list used by the secretary per-
haps is not ideal, for undoubtedly the
letters have gone to class of men
| upon whom the white or agency in
fiuence may be strong Yet with all
allowances the writer's exhibit so wide
! a diversity of opinion that the au-
thors must be accredited, as class,
with doing their own thinking
Most of the writer's agree that the
| Indians should be given their property
and made Independent Of the, Indian
| bureau as fast as they show them
selves competent and qualified for
citizenship. But opinions differ great
ly as to what proportions of the vari-
Gus tribes are ready for immediate
citizenship or what the policy of the
government should be toward the re-
mainder-which really is the gist Of
| the Indian problem.
View of Younger Indians.
The younger and better educated In
dams urge that the only possible solu-
ton of the Indian problem is to let
each Indian solve it for himself. They
deprecate the old tribal laws, customs
and ways of living, the influence of
the chiefs and the patronage of the
government and are anxious to have
] all Indians adopt white civilization.
Writers who express these views say
that the Indians are irresponsible chill
dren mainly because the government
has always cared for them; that the
government cannot treat them as
wards forever and that they will make
little advance as long as full citizen
ship and individual responsibility are
withheld
! Those who take the opposite view
hold that Indians are Indians and
must always remain so; that since the
government has taken their land it is
under a moral obligation to support
them forever. Secretary Lane says
this group represents a small reac-
tionary minority, made up almost
wholly of chiefs, headmen and full
bloods of the less progressive tribes
who, while still holding this view, re-
sent government interference with
their native customs.
Fear of Taxation Cited.
A third class expresses the hope
of eventual civilization and full citi-
zenship but suggests that Immediate
citizenship would generally be bad
for the Indians. They point out that
|
trusted with citizenship at once but
that many more would be ruined
should the government withdraw its
patronage. Writers who take this
view of the Indian problem usually
emphasize the Indians fear of taxa
ton They tell instances of In
dams who sold their lands for lit
tie or nothing to escape taxes and
urge that because of this fear lands
given to the Indians should be ex-
empted from taxation for a given
period.
A striking feature of the replies is
the volume of the opinion that the
the Indians practical and scientific
methods of farming and stock-raising.
One Indian from Minnesota pleads
that the Indian bureau should do for
the Indians of that state what the
state government is doing for the
white farmer. in instruction and
demonstration. Heterogeneous as the
replies are, half of them contain pleas
for better teaching and that the In
dams be enabled to buy tools and
implements and live stock. Repre-
sentatives Of the Yunlas write that
their tribe is not sufficiently advanced
in civilization to be Independent, and
ask that they be allowed to form a
tribal government and have some
voice In the management of their own
affairs as part of a preparation for
citizenship A Kickapoo writes:
you can't make the indian independ-
ent by doing his business for him.
While not all Indians will be successes
If left to their own resources, neither
are all white men successes" Says a
Crow Indian: Until our people are
made to love their homes and lands
and develop them, we shall not ad-
vance in civilization"
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