Dakotas among the Sioux Indians. Commissioner Morgan, Captain Pratt of
the Carlisle School, General Armstrong of Hampton, and the Secretaries
of the Missionary Societies presented an array of facts and of recent
information that gave a more favorable aspect to the situation than is
generally entertained. The disturbance among the Indians is confined to
at most 5,000 among the 250,000, and strong hopes are entertained that
serious bloodshed may be avoided. And yet, so great is the uncertainty
hanging over this matter, that before these lines reach our readers, the
daily press may give sad news of battle and disaster.

The discussions of the Conference were ended with a series of
resolutions, the purport of which may thus be summed up: The Dakota
trouble is confined to a small number of Indians, and is due to the
inevitable opposition of the chiefs and anti-progressive elements among
the masses of the Indians. The removal of experienced Indian Agents for
political reasons was deprecated, and the importance of permanence in
the lines of policy pursued in the educational and Christianizing
influences was emphasized. Larger appropriations by the Government to
establish an adequate system of common-school education, until every
Indian child is enabled to attend school, compulsory education and the
continued support to contract schools, and additional facilities for
securing lands in severalty to the Indians, were endorsed.

The decision which it was understood the Government had made, not to
transfer the care of the Indians to the War Department, was warmly
approbated.

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