House Documents, Otherwise Publ. as Executive Documents

SIR: In submitting to you my last annual report on the operations of this department, with such suggestions as, in my judgment, it would be profitable to the public interest to adopt, I beg leave to pass in rapid review the policies followed in some of the most important branches of the public service under my supervision during the period of the present administration.

INDIAN AFFAIRS.

When I took charge of this department the opinion seemed to be generally prevailing that it were best for the Indians to be gathered together upon a few large reservations where they could be kept out of contact with the white population, and where their peaceful and orderly conduct might be enforced by a few strong military posts. It was, perhaps, natural that, with limited knowledge of the character and needs of the Indians, and no experience in their management, I should at first accept that opinion, for the very reason that it was entertained by many who might have been regarded as competent authorities upon the subject. This view had already been acted upon to some extent before this administration came into office. It involved the removal of Indian tribes and bands from the lands they occupied, with their consent freely or reluctantly and doubtfully given, and in some cases the breaking up of beginnings of civilized occupations in their old homes. It was believed that this policy would be apt to keep the Indians out of hostile collision with their white neighbors, and in exclusive and congenial contact with their own kind, and thus prevent disturbances on the part of the Indians themselves and encroachments by the whites. Some measures of this nature had been carried out, and others were, indeed, not initiated, but executed during the early part of this administration. I refer especially to the removal to the Indian Territory of the Pawnees, of the Northern Cheyennes, and the Poncas, which I have found good reason very much to regret.

More extensive observation and study of the matter gradually vinced me that this was a mistaken policy; that it would be vastly ter for the Indians and more in accordance with justice as well as w expediency to respect their home attachments, to leave them upon lands they occupied, provided such lands were capable of yielding ti a sustenance by agriculture or pastoral pursuits, and to begin and fol up the practice of introducing among them the habits and occupation civilized life on the ground they inhabited. It became also clear to me t the maintenance of the system of large reservations against the p sure of white immigration and settlement would in the course of t become impracticable. The policy of changing, shifting, and consoli ing reservations for the purpose above stated was therefore abandon except in cases where the lands held by the Indians were not capa of useful development, and other lands better adapted to their advan ment could be assigned to them.

The policy which, during the larger part of this administrative peri was pursued as a fixed line of conduct is the following: to respect s rights as the Indians have in the land they occupy; to make chan only where such lands were found to be unsuitable for agriculture herding; to acquaint the Indians with the requirements of civilized by education; to introduce among them various kinds of work, by pr tical impulse and instruction; gradually to inspire them with a sens responsibility through the ownership of private property and a grow dependence for their support upon their own efforts; to afford to tl all facilities of trade consistent with their safety, as to the dispositio the products of their labor and industry for their own advantage allot to them lands in severalty with individual ownership, and a simple title inalienable for a certain period; then, with their consent: for their benefit, to dispose of such lands as they cannot cultivate use themselves, to the white settlers; to dissolve, by gradual steps, t tribal cohesion, and merge them in the body politic as independent self-relying men invested with all the rights which other inhabitant the country possess.

Having thus fixed the ultimate end to be accomplished as well indicated in general terms the means by which it is to be reached the shape of a clearly-defined policy, the department proceeded not o to continue the promotion of those civilizing influences which alrea had been set to work, but also to add others which so far had not b adopted.

AGRICULTURE AND HERDING.

In their agricultural pursuits the Indians have made commenda progress during the period of this administration. The uncivilized dians have during the past year broken 27,105 acres of land; they h cultivated 168,340; they raised 408,812 bushels of wheat, 604,103 busl of corn, 224,899 bushels of oats and barley, 375,843 bushels of veg ables; they cut 23,245 tons of hay; they owned 211,981 horses; t

had 78,939 head of cattle, 40,381 swine, and 864,216 sheep; they occupied 12,507 houses, they built during the year 1,639. The civilized tribes in the Indian Territory cultivated this year 314,398 acres; raised 336,424 bushels of wheat, 2,346,042 bushels of corn, 124,568 bushels of oats and barley, 595,000 bushels of vegetables, cut 124,000 tons of hay, and raised 16,800 bales of cotton. The uncivilized and the civilized Indians, therefore, together cultivated 482,738 acres; that is about one and threequarters acres to each man, woman, and child, assuming the estimate that the whole Indian population is about 250,000 to be correct. They raised 745,236 bushels of wheat, 2,950,145 bushels of corn, 349,467 bushels of oats and barley, 970,843 bushels of vegetables, and 16,800 bales of cotton; they cut 201,245 tons of hay. I find in the statistics of 1876, the year before this administration came into power, that the quantity of wheat raised was 483,619 bushels, inclusive of 20,365 raised by the govern ment employés at the agencies; 2,257,428 bushels of corn, inclusive of 27,968 bushels raised by the government employés; 155,112 bushels of oats and barley, inclusive of 20,332 raised by government employés ; 313,254 bushels of vegetables, inclusive of 35,205 bushels by government employés; 116,097 tons of hay cut, inclusive of 92,882 by government employés. In addition to that there were 354 tons of melons raised, inclusive of 51 by government employés, and 924 tons of pumpkins, inclusive of 48 raised by government employés. It would appear from these statistics that the agricultural labor by the Indians since 1876 has been well nigh doubled in quantity and value. It may be remarked here that with every year these statistics are becoming more accurate and reliable; formerly they consisted in great part of mere rough estimates. It is my firm belief that the agricultural industry of the Indians would be greatly stimulated and its product very much increased if assurance were given to them that they will be secure in the possession of their lands. I find that in a considerable number of cases Indians are not as willing as they should be to make permanent improvements for the avowed reason that they entertain doubts as to whether those improvements will redound to their own benefit. From all sides requests made by Indians are brought to the knowledge of the department that the government should give them such a title to their lands as is held by white men. I consider it therefore of the highest importance that the measure I urgently recommended allotting agricultural lands among the Indians in severalty, and giving them individual title inalienable for a certain period, be enacted without delay. The number of those who still desire to adhere to their old habits of life, seeking their sustenance by the chase or depending entirely upon supplies furnished by the government is rapidly decreasing. Care has been taken to convince them that the disappearance of game and the constantly progressing settlement of the country by whites are rendering a change in their occupations absolutely inevitable; and that conviction is taking possession of their minds to a greater extent than ever before.

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House Documents, Otherwise Publ. as Executive Documents: 13th ..., Količina 9