OCR Text |
Show 16 REPORT OF THE COMXISSIONER OF INDIAN AF'AIRS. QUALIFIED CITIZENSHIP. I therefore respectfully recommend that the attention of Congress be called to this subject, and that such legislation be requested as will secure- First. A suitable government of Indians: (1.j By providing that the criminal laws of the United Statea shall he in force upon Iudian reservations, and shall apply to all offenses, including offenses of Indians against Indians, and extending the juris-diction of the United States courts to enforce the same. (2.) By declaring Irldians amenable to the police laws of the State or Territory for any act colnmitted outside a reservation. (3.) By conferring upon the President authority, at his discretion, to extend the jurisdiction of the State courts, or any portion of them, tq any reservation, whenever, in his judgment, any tribe is prepared for such control. (4.) Bx providing a sufficient force of deputy marshals to enforcelaw and order both among and in behalf of Indians. (5.) lly giving authority to the Secretary of the Interior to prescribe for all tribes prepared, in his judgment, @ adopt the same, an elective government, through which shall be admin~stered all necessary police regulations of a reservatiou. (6.) By providing a distinct territorial government, or united State9 court, wherever Indians are in numbers sufficient to justify it. Second. Leg- islation for the encoura-~ emento f individual im.pr ove-ment: (1.) By providing a way into citizenship for such as desire it. (2.) By provicling for holding lands in severa.1ty by allotment for occu-pat, ion, and for patents with an ultimate fee, but inalienable for a term of years. (3.) By providing that wherever per capita distribution provided by treaty has proved injurious or without benefit to its recipients, a distri-bution of the sa.me may, in the discretion of the President, be made only in return for labor of some sort,. In eonclnding these general statements respectingthe Indian service, I desire to reiterate my conviction of the entire feasibility of Indiad civilization, and that the ditliculty of its problem is not so iuherent in the race-character and disposition of the Indian-great as these ohsta-cles a r e a 8 in his anomalous relation to the Government, and in his sur-roundings affected by the inflnence and interest of the white people. The main difficulty, so far as the Government is concerned, lies in the fact that the Indian's deepest need is that which the Government, through its political organization and operations, cannot well bestow. The first help which'a man in barbarism requires is not that which can he afforded throuch a ~olitican.l a rtv". ,b ut that which is offered b s a fel-low- wan, wiser'thoan 6irnself, comil~gp ersonitlly ancl ext~~rldiukg h and of sympathy and truth. So anlount of al~propriationna ncl no govern- , nletltal rl aal~il~ccravn ilo nluch toward l i f t i ~ larn irl~orannt nd derrralle~l people, except asit works through the willing hanas of men madestrong and constant by their love for their fellow-men. If, therefore, it shall be possible to continue the sympathy and aid of the religious' people of the land in this work, and to rally for its prosecutiort the enthusiasm and zeal which belong to religion, and also 1 if it shall be uossible to nrocure the enactment of such laws as will recognize the &sentla1 loau'hood and conseqomt vnpabilities nntl neces. sities of the Iudiau, and to pruvide reasonaBlg adequate apl~ropriatious |