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Show 92 COX~SSIONER 08 INDIAN '$FFAIRS. This report should embody full data showing the expenditures on mount of the schools herein provided for, aided out of mid fund. The application of the fund has not proceeded far enough to judge of the ultimate wisdom of this appropriation. It goes without saying, however, that the schools of the Indians should be strengthened so that white children, otherwise without any educational advantages, wuld share therein. Superintendent Benedict is of opinion that the fund will allow of the establishment of about 150 new schools. But this, even with the tribal schools, will not meet present conditions, when it is remembered that Indian Territory has land sufficient to make 6,180 separate school districts. The demand is for additional facilities for'white children or authority to levy sufficient taxes for the establishment of an adequate public school system without the aid of the General Government. Needs of the Territory.-With about a year more to run, the tribal governments must close and all tribal funds be distributed and all tribal relations extinguished. Schools will then be abolished and buildings disposed of. These agreements provide that all Indian land shall be nontaxable. "How, thcn," Superintendent Beuedict seriously asks, "are the 15,000 Indian children of the Territory to be educated after March, 19068 From whence will the $450,000 which is annually , expended upon the education of these Indian children be obtained after tribal funds are exhausted? What will then become of the 650 Iudian orphans now being clothed, fed, educated, and cared for in these academies? " Will the Genera1 Government take up the work of education, pay-ing for same out of moneys provided out of the United States Treas-ury? Will it allow the Five Civilized Tribes to dissipate their present enormous wealth, which is sufficient to create for them a great educa-tional trust fund, and then ask the people of the United States to assume the debt wbich these Indians themselves owe to their innownt children? With the funds which will come to them on the breaking up of the tribal governments there will be nothing left for themaintenance of schwls for the younger generation of Indians. It will he a question then whether these Indians will become the vagabonds of theTerritory, or the white people prove an exception to the older States and assume the burden of educating its Indian children regardless of the nontaxa-hility of Indian land. Congress must face the issue, and decide upon the wisdom of permitting the Indians to throw away funds sufficient to maintain their schools through a series of years. It will be a live issue in the Territory. The remedy can be applied now; delayed, it will impose untold and unnecessary burden either upon the General Government or upon the white people inhebiting this section of the country. |
