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Show TI REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAIT AFFAIRS. showing a most rapid improvement among them in learning and adopt-ing the improved methods of agriculture. At the rate of improvement made this year by these Indians it will be only a year or two until they (the Apaclres), the wildest tribe on the continent, will be self.sus-taining and independent. I call also cite the advance made in the last ' few months by the Cheyennes and Arapahoes of the Indian Territory. Sinoe the cattle have been n~oved from their lands, and they see that the Government intends that t,hey shall abandon their i~rdolent,t,h rift. less habits and go to work, a marked ,improvemeut has begun. More than fifty have recently tbken up lands for the purpose of farming them, and a general disposition to work is manifested. The same is true of many other tribes, as the records of this oflice for many years will ' . attest. Another idea connected with all this is that as you throw responsi-bility upon the Indians, it teaches them self-respect and individuality, and develops in them higher manhood. The success of the experi-ments that hare been made of establishing Indian polioe, and courts of Indian offenses, to regulate internal and domestic aff8ir.s on reserva-tions, is referred to more particularly in another part of this report. This throwing responsibility upon the Indians who aye selected to de-cide among themselves upon the rights of their fellow Indians, has had an elevating and restraining influence upon them and has made them more law-abiding. I INDIAN CITIZENSHIP. When the farm and the school have become familiar institutions among the Indians, and reasonable time has intervened for the transi-tion from barbarism or a semi-civilized state to one of civilization, then will the Indian be prepared to take upon himself the higher and more responsible duties and privileges which appertain to American citizen-ship. A wider and better knowledge of the English language among them is essential to their comprehension of the duties and obligations of citizenship. At this time but few of the adult population can speak a word of English, but with the, efforts now being made by the'Go~ern. ment and by religious and philanthropic associations aud individuals, especially in the Eastern States, with the missionary aud the school-master indnstriously in the field everywhere among the tribes, it is to be hoped, and it is confidetitly believed, that among the uext genera-tion of Indians the English language will be sufficiently spoken and used to enable then1 to become acquainted with the laws, customs, and institutions of our country, and to regulate their conduct in obedience to its authority. When this point in their upward progress has been attained they will be a part and' parcel of the great brotherhood of American citizens, and the last chapter in the solution of the Indian problem will be written. After that we shall hear no more of the Indian as a separate and dis- |