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Show who are found to be qualified to care for their own affairs shall have their shares in the tribal funds given to them, and the relation be-tween themselves and the tribe and between the Government anti themselves as tribal members permanently dissolved. The remnant of the fund would, under this system, remain common property wtil the next occasion for setting apart individual shares, when the same process would be repeated until, by these gradual eliminations, the communal fund dwindles to insignificant dimensions and is then-possibly in another generation-wiped out altogether. I am still as firmly of my opinion as ever that the original proposi-tion would work out better in the end. In view, however, of the fact that so many Members of Congress whom judgment is entitled to con-sideration and whose purposes are as kind as mine toward the Indians disagree with me, I should welcome the hill in such form as it has reached now rather than lose all legislation on the subject; for it seems to me that we are at a stage in the. development of the Government's Indian policy where some step in this direction is vitally necessary. Undoubtedly many of the Indians who give most promise of being able to care for their own affairs will turn out, after a fair trial, unequal to the burden laid upon them; but in what respect would this differ from the experience which we have to face every day with our own white brethren? It may be set down as a general principle of human phiiosophy that a sense, like a muscle, left for-ever unused becomes atrophied, and I would rather myself take the chances of an Indianb here and there disappointing. the confidence placed in him, than see his manhood shrivel up under the influence of its nonuse. Moreover, the positive moral damage inflicted upon the character of an undeveloped or only partly developed people by having with them always the assurance of a fund in the Treasury from which they are to receive such and such benefits, is as serious as that suffered by a young white man whose career is blighted by the knowledge that he is heir to a fortune. Until we can eliminate this disturbing factor from the problem of Indian civilization our progress toward its solution is bound to be limping rather than strong. Incidentally to this subject I have certain suggestions to offer with regard to Indian funds which are only constructively now in the United States Treasury, but on which fictitious interest is com-puted and aid by appropriation every year. I can not help think-ing that it would be wise if Congress were to undertake to get rid of some of these obligations, either by appropriating the capital sum actually or by commuting the amount of capital to be paid to the Indians by arrangement with the tribe. As an example, take the case of the Oneidas of Wisconsin, who are |