The showing for the other tribes is fully as encouraging, when it is remembered that their circumstances have been much less favorable. In fact, it appears evident that the progress of these people has been great just in proportion to their opportunities; that what is lacking is not susceptibility to civilized life, but opportunity for adopting it, which we have denied them. Give the Indian the chance, and he will become a civilized and valuable citizen. About 77,000 among the remaining tribes wear citizens’ clothes and own more than 11,000 houses, 1,212 of which have been built during the past year. Eleven thousand and eighty-one can read, and 1,717 have learned the art within the same time. It is significant that the five tribes above mentioned expended $156,856 of tribal funds for schools, while the Government added $3,500 for this purpose. Among the other tribes, $13,043 of tribal funds were raised for schools, and the Government appropriated $164,702. That is to say, these five tribes numbering 60,000 raised, in round numbers, twelve times as much for schools as all the other tribes, and only $12,000 less than the Government appropriated to all the others for school purposes; and the Government expended more than forty-seven times as much upon the other tribes as it did upon these five. This would seem to indicate, even to an average Congressman, that the cheaper policy would be to give the Indian a chance to take care of himself. Aside from the discouragements to a civilized life furnished by the amount of land occupied by the Indian, and by the kind of title he has to it, it should be remembered that much of this land is valuable and presents a strong temptation to the white man’s greed, and that it lies, often, in the direct line of advancing civilization, an almost insurmountable barrier to its progress. We cannot reasonably be expected to double the length of our railroad lines, simply to build them around lands which ought to be opened up by them. The North-western and Milwaukee railroads, in their westerly march, have nearly reached the Sioux reservations. These cannot be entered except by force, or with the full consent of this tribe. The right of eminent domain, under treaty with our Government, belongs to it, not to us; to the individual members of the tribe, and must be surrendered with each one’s consent, or not at all. These roads are not willing to pay what is demanded for the right of way, and are preparing to enter without permission. The probable result will be this: the roads will enter; the Indians will resist; the army will be sent in to punish them for murder; and after a war that will cost many lives and millions of money, the roads will be built, and the remnant of Indians forced into some other reservation. Of course, we cannot allow this people to throw a barrier across the Continent; the road must be built.