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Show Nevada, Minnesota, Wisconaiu, and Iowa, and I believe that it will be poasible in most of these States to transfer the vork of Indian education to the Stste author-ities within ra comparatively short period. In some of these States I am informed that the subject will bo submitted to the State legisla,tures within the near future, znd that efforts will be made to secure suitable measures looking to such transfer. There seema to be no good reason why the Chippewas Meoomonees Oneidss, Stockbridges of Wisoposin, the great .ma,j,jority of the ~ddians of ~ i o i i g a n the Chippewils of Minnesota, the Sac and Fox Indians of Iowa, the Om;~hhas and ~ h n e - hsgoes, the Santees of Nebraska, the Pottawatomies and Kickapoos of Kansas, the Cherokees of North Carolina, and others should not he cared for, so far as their edn-cational needs are concerned, by the States in which they live. In mast of these cases tho Indians are relf-supporting and fairly ready to live under the same l&ws with other citizens of the Strstes. A very important adjunct to the educational work is the valuable service rendered by field matrons and female industrial teachers. Four years' experieilce proves the success of this method of teaching domestic economy and elevating the Indian home life. No branch of education is more fruitful for the welfare of fndian women and for the protection of pupils returning to the reservations from boarding and training schools. We concur wi th the Commissioner in the~ ho.w that an incrEase of the funds for this service way be granted. THE INDIAN TERRITORY. In our last annual report, as well as in several previous reports, we exuressed our conviction that a better eovernment than now exists is nebded io the India11 Territory-a goveruu~e~itltl eluding the whole Territory, with aothnrity and power to secure the y~otevtiona nd wel. fare of all 1110 neo~~rleev idinn tllereio without distiuc:tion of'r aw*. The time has come'whku the ~ n 7 t e dS t.ates must see to it that law, educa-tion, and possibilities of justice for white men, a s well as black men and red men, shall be firmly established and ma~nt,aiuedin that Terri-tory. The 111dians of the Five Civilized Tribes, under the influence of a few shrewd and selfish leading men, seem to oppose any change in their condition, and claim the right, nuder treaties with the United States,,to be let alone and to manage their own affairs. But our clear convict~on is that they have not faithfully observed the purpose and intent of those treaties. The language in which the original grant of the Indian Territory was made to the Five Civilized Tribes, as well as that by which they made subgrauts to other tribes, providesplainly and emphatically t,hat the lands L'shaU be secured to the whole people for their common use and bellefit." That this has not been done is well known. A few enterprising and wealthy Indians have managed to occupy and use large tracts of fertile land, while the poor and ignorant have been pushed away into rough and almost barren corners. We believe it to bethe duty of the United States Government to maintain its suprenle sovereignty over every foot of land within the boundaries of our country, and that no treaties can riglltfully alienate its legislative authority, and that it is under a sacred obligation to exercise its sov-ereignty by extending over all the inhabitants of the Indian Territory the same protection and restraints of government which other parts of our couritry enjoy. The Dawes Commission, appointed to negotiate with the Five Civilized Tribes, after a year of fruitless labor, have come to the following concl~~sion: It is, iu the jud ment of the Commission, the imperative duty of Congress to a8some at once poyitioal control of the Iudian Territory. They hare come with great reluctance to this conclusion and have aounht by all lnethods that might reach the eonviotions of those hoidilmg power in tge Territory to induce them by negotiation and mutual agreement to consent to a satisfactory change in, their nyn- |
