Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1884 — WARDS OF THE NATION. [ARTICLE]

WARDS OF THE NATION.

The Annual Report of the Indian Bureau. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in his annual report, says the progress of the Indians toward civilization is most encouraging, and that it is fair to presume that in the near .future they, will be no longer a bnrden but a help to the Government. He states that the Indians’ appropriation is too small, and urges the necessity of passing an appropriation bill early in the session. Congress is urged to pass a stringent law prohibiting the sale of arms and ammunition to Indians, and to enforce the law forbidding the sale of liquor to them. Touching the removal of tho Crow Indians, in Montana, it is stated that it has thus been made possiblo to add to the public domain at least 3,000,000 acres of the reservation, leaving still all the land necessary for the use and occupancy of this tribe of Indians. If these 3.000,000 are so disposed of as to give the Crows some benefit from the proceeds thereof, they will no longer require any aid from the Government, and thus one factor of the Indian problem will have been solved, aud an example and incentive given other tribes of Indians to do likewise. Great good has resulted from the establishment of courts for the trial of Indian offenses, and an appropriation of $50,000 is asked to pay the salaries of judges. The Commissioner calls attention to the necessity of establishing a United States court in Indian Territory, and recommends that the bill pending before Congress. to prevent timber depredations in that Territory, be made to include coal and other minerals. A more liberal compensation is asked for the Indian police, and their efficiency is warmly commended. School work is reviewed at length, its great value demonstrated, and the necessity 6hown for the expenditure of a much greater amount of money in this direction. Attention is called to the fact that Congress granted a right of way through Indian Territory to the Gulf, Colorado> and Santa Fe and the Kansas Southern Railroads, and the statement is made that the Indians consider this a violation of treaty obligations. The Commissioner refers to the invasion of the Indian Territory by Payne and others, and says there is no possible exense for these repeated lawless invasions. The lands are not public lands in any sense as yet, whatever disposition may be made of them hereafter. It is manifest that, without the passage of some stringent law, intruders can only be kept out by the troops, and should they at any time be temporarily withdrawn for any purpose, the Territory would be rapidly overrun. The Commissioner indorses the report of the commission to review the award of damages of $36,000 to the Indians, on account of the construction of reservoirs at the headwaters of the Mississippi, and says no one cin compute what evil consequences may arise ' should Congress ignore its duty to these Indians by a failure to make appropriations to carry out the terms of the award..