Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1878.djvu/5



, Washington, November 1, 1878. of this department during the past year, together with such suggestions as seem to me worthy of consideration:
 * I have the honor to submit the following summary of the operations

The report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs is herewith submitted.

In my last annual report I sketched a plan of an “Indian policy,” the principal points of which were the following:

1. The permanent location of the Indians on a smaller number of reservations containing a fair proportion of arable and pasture lands.

2. Encouragement of agricultural and pastoral pursuits by the furnishing of agricultural implements and domestic animals, and proper instructions by practical farmers.

3. The gradual allotment of small tracts of land to the heads of families, to be held in severalty under proper restrictions.

4. The discouragement of hunting, proper restrictions as to the possession of arms and ammunition by Indians, and a gradual exchange of ponies for cattle.

5. The extension of the laws of the United States over Indian reservations, to be enforced by proper tribunals, and the organization of an Indian police.

6. The labor of white men on Indian reservations as much as possible to be dispensed with, and proper discrimination to be made in the distribution of supplies and annuity goods and the granting of favors between Indians who work and those who live as idle vagabonds.

7. The establishment of schools for the instruction of Indian children in the English language, the elementary branches of knowledge, and especially in practical work.

8. Sufficient provision for the wants of the Indians until they become self-supporting.

This plan, put forth without any pretension to novelty, seemed to meet with general approval, as far as public opinion expressed itself,