Evening star., 1929-04-18

Of property. In 1925 there were only
349,59 Indians; in 1900 there were
270.544; the 1880 census indicated 322,-
534; the 1870 census showed Si3,371.
Prior to that, we have only estimates
and varying reports" of the Indian
offce, rather vague and unreliable, with
the census Of 1850 touching high-water
mark with guess of 400, ,764, followed
by report Of the Indian Office, N 1860
indicating only 254,300. All the statis-
tics appear unreliable. but it Is obvious
that the Indians are not dying out"
On the other hand. they do not, as a
class appear to be forgetting their own
rites and preferences, bred from cen
turies of Indian ancestry.
Now. all within Is years, 1t Is pro-
posed to cease treating them as unre-
generated "barbarians," and throw
them upon their own resources.
In the processes Of this quarter Cen
tury program, 1t IL proposed that the
several States shall care for the Indians
within their boundaries, in the matter
of schools, under the supervision Of the
Federal Bureau of Education-in the
face Of State opposition to standardizing
education by putting a school teacher
into the Presidents cabinet.
The health program of the Indians
should be placed under the Public
Health Service" White folks will de-
pend upon their paid doctors, as "medi-
cine men," but Indians would look to
the Federal Health Service, even after
all Indian agents cease to exist.
The bane of allotment in severalty has
been the white Schemer who lies in wait
to cheat the Indian out of his land
and other property, as soon as the In
dian gains title which he can transfer.
A case is cited in which an Indian
owned land on which there was timber
appraised at $4,000; he sold it to
white man for $500. Indians have no
conception of values, even after CEN
tury Of Government guardianship.
However, it Is proposed that q sur
vey be made of all Indian laws, and
that new laws be enacted to safeguard
the next generation, IS years hence,
making Indians discreet by statute.
4 X X X
In magazine article two years ago
by George Vaux. jr., chairman of the
appeared review of the work of the
Indian Bureau. in which this paragraph
appeared:
1T Is often intimated that, in view
of the comparatively small number OF
Indians, the amount of money and ef-
fort expended upon them is very far
out of proportion to the practical re-
suits produced. The Government an
nually appropriates some ten or twelve
million dollars for the activities OF its
Bureau of Indian Affairs, and many
people seem to suppose that IL 1t were
efficiently managed. the Indians. as
rTNy0iAF1N and H>sxw
would have ceased to exist.
However, those who have enter
tanned this thought have failed to con-
slider the hundreds, or, perhaps, thou
sands, of years that have been exnended
upon their education to bring them
from semi-barbarism to the advanced
degree of civilization which they now
hold; and. In addition, that, two or
three generations back, most of the
Red Men In this country were in that
same degree Of semi-barbarism. Today
there is left scarcely blanket Indian
Of the old type.
Civilization is long and slow proc
eSs, and probably, If we dispassionately
view the whole subject, We shall be
forced to arrive at the conclusion that
it is more to be wondered at that the
progress has been as rapid as 1t has,
rather than that we should feel It has
been unduly slow"
+ X 4 r
! Among the evidences Of progress
since the Indian Bureau was established
in 1824-105 years ago-Mr. vaux cited
the fact that it is only so years ago
since Congress ceased to recognize IN
dian tribes as independent foreign DOW
ers with which to make diplomatic
treaties, as with European country,
and to make war upon, at frequent In
teryals. Even at Americas entry into
the World War, some Indian tribes, TAX
ing their sovereignty seriously. UNDER
took to prove their friendlineSs to the
Americans by formally declaring war on
Germany. Now Congress gives $50OO,-
900 q year to support schools for indian
children. Who " 81 the adIlts ~
Inventory pf pxppertz helopginE III tn
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