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Show COMMISSIONER OF INDLAN 'AFFAIBLI. 61 ' The responsibilitS! restingupon the Indian youth of to-day is greater than 'has ever fallen upon the young men and women of any race inthe history of 'the world., Your success br failure will largely determine the future of the Red Man of America. The eyes of the Onucasirin race are upon you. If you ,demonstrate your cnpncity to take onthe education offered in Indian schools; . i f yo11 utilize the equipment thus acquired and affirm your capacity for advnace-meut and self-support; if you rise to the occasion and give living evidence df the progress of your people, the expenditures. in your behalf will have been justified; then you and your friends who are earnestly undertaking to work out a future for you and perpetuate your race will be equipped with armor to 'make a silccessful defense of your people and their property; insure the perma-nent estnbllshment of your schools; and all that goes to justify the denial that the Indian is a "vanishing race." If you do not measure up to your oppor-tunities, you fail at your peril. Whether you are able to meet these demands depends upon you. If you fail there are those who will use it as an argument in support of their aggressions upon your people and their property and thus endanger the possibility of the next generation having similar opportunities. I have faith in you and believe yon will make good. Speaking now more generally, I repudiate the suggestion that the Indian Is a " vadishing race." He should march side by side with white men during all -the years to come. It is our chief duty to protect the Indian's health and to save him from premature death. Before we educate him, before we conserve his property, we should nave his life. If he is to be perpetuated, we must ' care for the children. We must stop the tendency of the Indian to diminish In number and restore a condition that will insure his increase. Every Indian hospital k d not necessarily occupie<l with those suffering from diseases or injury should be available for the mother in childbirth. It is of first im- 'portnnce that we begin by reestablishing the health and constitution of Indiun chilrlren. Education and protection. of property are highly important, but everything is secondary to the basic condition which makes for the perpetuation 'of the race. ' . I am told that there was a time in the history of the Indian Service.when 'approximately 50 per .cent of the employees were transferred annually: I 'have heard of those who have changed the location of their service as many as seven times in five years. All requests for transfers now invite investifa- 'tion, both of the reason given and the service record of the applicant, with :such ncnon as developments justify. The transfer mag be granted; a promo- 'tlou is not Im~a%lble.-.Howeve~,..dtibsec losures~~thnasc.q uired .may suggesr ' 'demotion or 'even separation from the:service. Employee tramps are a menace :to the seryice. The best test of emcienw 19 long and satisfactory service in the same place. The number or transfers during the last yenr has been m t l y reduced as compared with preceding years, and youmay be sure of a'very substantial reduetinu in the future. The student tramp is for many reasons to be discouraged. It is my informa- Vion that in practically all of the ponreservation boarding schools there are .Indian boys and .girls who have been transported at Government expense long dhtances from their homes, passing other schools more accessible and .ha%lrg ins good facilities: This condition is ordinarily inexcusable and should not '.continue. It makes a large and unnecessary expense for transportation, en-oourages unrest, bas a demoralizing influence on the student body, in maw :instances PlaWR Pupils in schools urholly foreign to their after-life residence, llimits desirable acquaintance with those with whom they will mingle thereafter. and in an Industrial way, particularly agricultural, gives but little oppop "Yunlty for .acquiring.~~Imow&edgoef.. .,eondit.lom .p revnklllog in..thelr,.respectiae |