THE INDIAN NO PROBLEM. I3 



ours would soon be assimilated, and that would be the end. 



"The contact of peoples is the best of all education." 

 Thousands of instances prove that Indians, by association 

 with our own people, become in all respects like them — in 

 thought, speech and usefulness. 



Schools exclusively for Indians are just as well calculated 

 to build and keep the Indians intact as Indians, as church 

 schools are to build and keep churches intact. 



Under Federal principles we have established the public 

 school system, where people of all races may become unified 

 in every way and loyal to the Government. 



We do not separate the people of each nationality into 

 schools exclusively for themselves, but we provide that the 

 youth of all our people may go into all schools. 



We shall not succeed in Americanizing the Indian until 

 we work on him in exactly the same way. Even if abundant 

 schools, but for Indians only, are established remote from reser- 

 vations in civilized surroundings, if the principle of sending 

 them out into families and into the public schools is left out, 

 the result is failure, even though such schools are established 

 in the centres of our most intelligent, industrious and friendly 

 population, and though such schools are filled with students 

 from many tribes. 



Purely Indian schools say to the Indians : — 



" You are Indians and must remain Indians ; you are not 

 of the nation and we do not want you in the nation." 



Before I leave this part of my subject, I am sorry to feel 

 impelled to lay before you the facts as I have been forced to 

 look at them, of another influence that has claimed credit and 

 always has been and is now very dictatorial in Indian affairs, 

 and that is the missionary as a citizenizing influence among 

 the Indians. 



The missionary goes to the Indian ; he learns the language ; 

 he associates with him ; he makes the Indian feel he is friendly 

 and has great desire to help him ; he even teaches the Indian 

 English ; but the fruits of his labor have been to strengthen 



