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114 ^ History of the Pacific Northwest

the civilizing of the Indians—for example, the school teacher, the preacher, the Indian agent, the farmer, and the blacksmith. Such a group of workers might hope to develop among the Indians new tendencies and habits of life which would make the religious teaching fruitful instead of being, as was too often the case, a scattering of wheat seed in a field infested with tares. Morse also suggested the ultimate creation of an Indian State to include parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Some leaders, like the famous Baptist missionary, Rev. Isaac McCoy, had already introduced in their mission fields the ideas set forth by Morse, and with the government funds available for the payment of the school teacher, who was often the missionary preacher himself, the blacksmith and the farmer, or at least one or two of these, much more could be done than simple religious charity could hope to undertake. For, as yet, the bulk of even the Christian people of America were averse to giving their money for the benefit of the Indians, so sceptical were they of the Indians' capability of improvement.

The removal policy; eastern Indians sent westward. Coupled with the new government policy of aiding in civilizing the Indians, was the policy of removing the tribes which had dwelt in districts east of the Mississippi to the "illimitable "regions west of that river. This plan was adopted mainly because white people were anxious to get control of Indian lands for new settlements. But many missionaries favoured the removal policy on other grounds: they