THE INDIAN NO PROBLEM. I9 



Successful holding and use of their lands and of themselves 

 required that they should become civilized, educated and 

 trained to the ability that would enable them to hold their 

 own property and use it in competition with other citizens. 



The General was asked what he thought of the influence 

 of the annual conferences at Lake Mohonk upon the solution 

 of our Indian troubles. He stated that the conference at 

 Lake Mohonk began as an annual meeting of the Board of 

 Indian Commissioners ; that the Board of Indian Commis- 

 sioners was instituted by General Grant when he became Pre- 

 sident ; that Congress had authorized the creation of a Board 

 of " not to exceed ten men, eminent for intelligence and phil- 

 anthropy," who would look into all Indian matters, visit the 

 Indians and the Agencies, and cooperate with the Commis- 

 sioner of Indian Affairs ; that the books, papers and pur- 

 chases throughout the Indian sei"v4ce, and everything con- 

 nected with Indian management, was open to their inspection 

 and suggestion. General Grant's idea seemed to be that 

 through such a Board there would grow up intelligent interest 

 for the Indians throughout the country, and that greater 

 integrity of administration and a more righteous action in 

 regard to the Indians would result. General Pratt said that 

 during the first years of the Board, the members, individually 

 or in committees, did visit the Indians, even the wildest of 

 them, and did give to the President and the Indian manage- 

 ment intelligent and very great help, hindering wrong and 

 arousing much interest among our people ; but for twenty-five 

 years or more the Board had met annually at Lake Mohonk 

 to enjoy the fine hospitality of that delectable resort ; that 

 the members now seldom, if ever, visit the Indians or their 

 reservations, or get into any real touch with Indian manage- 

 ment ; that for years they had mostly turned the duties, for 

 which the Board was instituted, over to self-constituted and 

 inequitable associations, inert to either protect the Indians or 

 lead them into higher life ; that the conference was not an 

 open parliament, as he had experienced when present. He 



