| OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMhlISSIONER 01' INDIAN AFFAIRS. 47 and Territories, where the feeling against the Indian has been exceed-ingly bitter, show a surprising and most gratifying change in public sentiment. Wherever a school is located, as at Pierre, S. Dak., Genoa; Nebr., Lawrence, Eans., Albuq~~erquNe,. Mex., P h ~ n i xA, riz., ' and Grand Junction, Colo., there is developed an extraordinaj. degree of public interest and sympathy in the work. It is now universally coq-ceded by every intelligent observer that the Indians can be educated, that the Government schools are eminently successful, and that it is a wise expenditure of money from the point of view of economy, philan-thropy, and justice to provide for them suitable educational facilities. Among those who have been active in bringing about this improved public sentiment are the Indian Rights Association, the Women's Na-tional Indian Association, the Mohonk Conference, the Boston Indian Gitizenship Committee, the leading religious and secular newspapers of the country, and a large number of prominent clergymen and other public-spirited men who have taken a deep personal interest in the matter. It bas been suggested to me that this public interest in the Iudian question is a "fad," and should be treated as such. I c+n only say I wish there were more such fads as this. It is participated in by a vast number of the most intelligent, upright, philanthropic, unselfish citi-zens of the United States, and represents on this great question an advanced strate of morality and intelligence which is highly creditable to our Ohristian civilization, and marks very honorably the closing de-cade of the oentury. Wemust either fight Indians, feed them, or else educate them. To fight them is cruel, to feed them is wasteful, while to educate them is humane, economic, and Christian. 8. The rudimentary education supplied in these Govemnient institu-tions, which are necessarily, as yet, on a low plane, ought to be supple. mented in many cases by an enlarged course of study. Many Indians of both sexes are showing marked capacity for scholarship and are evincing an eager desire to acquire that broader culture which will fit them for leadership among their people. One young man thoroughly educated is worth, in many respects, more to his people than a consid- , erable number with only a common-school training. There is an especial call ahong the Indians for persons of their own race who are competent physicians and lawyers. The Government - makes +t best a most unsatisfactory provision for the medical care of these people, and I have felt that wherever a young man or woman among them could be found who showed the requisite qualities for the work of physicians or nurses they should be encouraged and assisted, if necessary, by the Government, in the pursuit of that professional training which should prepare them for. this important work. Every year renders it more and more apparent that the Indians, un-less they are prepared to defend themselves in the courts, will be robbed of their property and denied their rights. I wish there were |
