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Show , . . . I-'..-' , " ' . ~ . ' a ' t . C REPORT OF THE COIfMISSIONER OF IXDIAN AFFAIRS. FAF6XIIiG STATIONS. One drawback which at ration agencies has greatly hindered progress . . in farming has been the practice of requiring the whole body of ! , . Indians to come to agency headquarters to receive supplies. For exa,mple, many of the Indians connected with the various Sioux agen-oies are located in commclnities of fifty to one hundred and fifty per-sons, on lands which they are engaged in cultivating, many miles from agency headquartera To compel such to come to the agency, 60 or 70 miles each week, or even month, through the storms of winter and the heat of summer, bringing the whole family, as is the custom, leaving crops and cattle to care for themselves, wearing out teams and wagons, and wasting time by being almost constantly on the road, is to inflict hardship on the very best element of this tribe-those who are trying to become self-supporting and are faithfully endeavoring by their own labor to make homes for themselves and to secure their families against want. This class should be encouraged by every available means in their struggle toward civilization and self-support and they shonld have all the advantages which a white farmer requires. Their supplies should be convenient, and it uhould not be nece8sary for them to drop their farm-work at a critical time and travel a hundred miles to have a plow fixed. They should hare the constaut presence of an experienced farmer to . . teach and encourage them, and it would be well that his wife should be ableto teach the women and girls their domestic duties. The example set before them of a well-conducted home would be of great benefit. It might also be that each of the farmers eouid, with Indian assistants, . cultivate a small farm himself, the returns from the farm to go toward . reducing the expenses of the station. There should be a day-school, at least, established iueachcommuoity. There shonld be a blacksmith shop at each station, with a good Indian , mechanic in charge, who should also be able (o do rough carpenter work, repairing wagons,etc.; and toolsof both kindsshould befurnished him. Arrangements should be made by the agents to visit these stations once a month and to take with them, and issue there, a monthly ration of supplies, taking the receipts of the Indians as required by law. Should this plan be adopted, a considerable amount of transportation will ha necessary, and t h i ~w illgive employiiient to Indian teamaters, who will thus be enabled to earn some money at times wheu they can spare their horses and ma,gons from farm-work. On the 3d of last March I addressed a letter to the Department set-ting forth the evils oE the preseut system and outlining the plan sug-gested above, which received your approval. Active measures arenow in progress for the carrying out of the new plan at the following agen-cies: Rosebud, Crow Creek, and Lower BruiB, S. Dak.; Standing Bock, N. Dak.; Crow, Mont.; Shoshone, Wyo.; U~ntaha nd Ou~ayU, tah j aucl |
