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Show 4 REPORT OF-THE OOMMISSIONEB OB INDIAN AFFAIRS. It is worthy of specialnote that the end aimed at in the agreement was theciviliza-tion of the Indisns. They were to settle down permanently; their children were to .be educated; they were to live Like white men, and the rations isued to them, or so much as mieht be necessary. were to be continued until "the Indians are able to support themselves." It is-clearly evident that the Government never intended that the Indians should look to it for continuous support; that np promises of this kind were ever made, and that the Indians themselves did not expect it, and apparently did not deaire it. The object of the rations was not that the Indians might be fed by the Government, but simply that they might be aasisted and kept from want during the period of their probation while they were learning theart of self+upport. No one will question the wisdom of this policy. No intelligent man will doubt c that the welfare of the Indian demands that just ae soon as possible he shall be ren-dered self-supporting, and that any help inthe way of food or other supplies fur-nished him by the Government in excem of his absolute needs so as to remove from , him the spur and stimulus to labr is not a kindness, but an injury. The only serious question which can be raised in this connection is, how long a time me these rations to be continued and under what circumstances the Govern-ment shall reduce or discontinue them. 'r I t should be noted that the aereement expreslv. stio.n latea that-- "\l'hen6!vcr rheaid lndiane shall I,Q lorrted upon lands whirl) arc suibl,le ior n~ltivt~tiornt,i ouv.hall b~issuedu uly to the peritmsand fau.ilirs oi thoir pcmons who labor (the aged; sick, and infirm exc&d);and as anincentivetoindustrious habits * the Commissioner of Indian Affaim may provide that such persons be furnished in payment for their labar such otherneeewry artideaasare requisite for civilized life." It certainly will be accepted asa truism that the Government had x right to demand , of the I n d i a that they. -~ ufot rt h for self-eu-nn.o rt whatever effortsm ieht reasanablv be demanded of them considering their nature and surroundings. It will also be admitted that, ceonsiderine the end in view, it would be a humane act on the Dart of the Government to decrease the rations even though such decrease should bring - temporary hardship, provided such hardship should serve as a stimulus to labor and self-help. Of course no one would urge that the Indians should be starved. In fact all that can be demanded, either in fulfillment of treaty obligation or as an act of justice or humanity, is this, that the Indiana shall put forth all proper exertion in the way of gaining a livelihood by their own labor, as other men are forced to do, and that in connection with such effort on their part food supplies shall be issued to ' them in such quantities (not exceeding the anlounts named in the agreement) and for such length of time as a sincere regard for the highest welfare of the Indians shall dictate. 1 The remainder of the. letter was devoted to showing that the Sioux . Indians, aside from rations, had received annually during the thirty years previous a suit of clothing or material to make it; that they had 4 also received a large number of beneficial articles, suchasapricultural , implements, fence wire, building material, etc., for which $5?480,200 had been appropriated during the thirty years the t~e a t yw as alive; ! that they received the proceeds of the sale of hides derived from beef , cattle; that they get more benefit from them this way than the other; that they were receiving 5 per cent annually on $3,000,000 in the -' Treasury, one-half in education and one-half in cash; that they had received since 1890, 20,000 cows and 900bulls; that at the time of that writing they pbssessed over 88,000 head of cattle; that they were able to sell that year probably 5,850 head to the Government to be issued |