The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-23


srvations-What Shall We DO with
Themf
For the information and qualification of our
readers we give them this morning carefully
prepared and handsomely executed map
Of the numerous Indian reservations of
that great western division Of the United
States over which with some few exceptions
eastward) all our Indian tribes and frag-
ments of tribes are now distributed. On the
same page summing up and explanation OF
the various tribes and reservations repre-
sented are given, which, together with the
general bird s-eye view of the map, will be
found extremely interesting and valuable, not
only to the philanthropist and the inquiring
historical student, but to every reader IN
search of knowledge concerning these Indians
and Indian reservations of the Great West
With the pacifcation Of the Kickapoos in
Mexico, with the complete subjugation OF the
Apaches in Arizona, and with the uncondi-
tional surrender of Captain Jack and his ter
rible Modocs of Oregon and California, there
is now that favorable condition of general
peace among our Indians which invites us to
a review of the whole field embraced within
our illustrative map. From the archives OF
the Indian Bureau it appears that there are
Excluding the estimated force of seventy
thousand in our Arctic territory OF Alaska)
three hundred thousand of the original ma
tive American race remaining within the
limits of the United States, and that upon
the important question of subsistence, they
may thus be divided
or sel-supporting tribes. 10000
Partly supported by the government. $4,000
Entirely supported by the government...... $1,000
Living by hunting and marauding. ........ $4,000
The masses of the self-supporting tribes are
those civilized and semi-civilized Cherokees
of the Indian Territory, one Of the most beau
tiful, fertile and inviting agricultural districts
of the Union. The tribes partly and those
wholly supported by the government are
those on the reservations outside the Indian
Territory, and the marauders are the tribes
and fragments of tribes still roaming at large,
and mostly along the range OF the Rocky
Mountains, between the British Possessions
and our Mexican frontier. Touching their
political relations to the government, 1t ap-
pears that of our red brethren there are:-
Living under treaties. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 100000
On reservations, without treaties. ........ 10000
The treaty Indians embrace all the tribes of
the Indian Territory and numerous others,
conspicuous among them being the late war;
like Sioux of Red Cloud and Spotted Tail. In
the scale of civilization our Indians are thus
classified
CIVILIZED S.'0Oo
emciviliZed. l2o,000
Wnoiiy saVage..... ....................... to,Voo
The main body Of the civilized tribes are IN
the Indian Territory, and of the semi-civilized
among the best deserving tribes are the
Pimos and Coco Moricopas of the ella River,
in Arizona The general distribution of our
aborigines may thus be given:-
In Minnesota and east Of the Mississippi S2,5oo
In Nebraska, Kansas and Indian Territory. 7o,65o
In Nevada, Utah, Colorado. New Mexico and
In California, oregon and Territory Of wash ''''''
1ngton. .............. ................! Al $50
We find, next, that our Indian population
occupy reservations of land amounting, in
the aggregate. to 1877, 846, OIL acres, or about
four hundred and sixty acres for every man,
woman and child of them. Here we touch
the important questions, How long, even
under the protection of the government, will
our poor Indians be permitted to hold in
peace the vast tracts of country which they
now occupy as reservations ?-and, What is
the best policy of the government for the
maintenance of peace between whites and
Indians and for the protection and civiliza-
ton of the latter? The extensive general
reservation of the Sioux in Dakota, and the
reserve Of the assembled tribes on the north
ern frontier OF Montana, for examples, are
great hunting grounds over which the tribes
concerned have the privilege Of following the
buffalo herds in their southern and northern
migrations over the Great Plains. The gen.
eral reserve for different bands of the
Utes in Colorado is also q mere hunting
ground, from which they will soon be dis
placed by the encroaching white settlements
of the Territory. The same fate awaits the
several reservations contiguous TO the line Of
the Northern Pacific Railway In short, the
time is fast approaching when the government
will be compelled materially to reduce the
proportions of these great reservations and
to abolish many of the smaller ones, and
what, then, will be done with the dispossessed
Indians?
Let us briefly look into this matter. In
GLIDING the western half of Nebraska and OF
Kansas and of Texas, the general character
of all the country westward to the great
chain of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade
Mountains, which look down upon the
inviting valleys Of California and Oregon,
is analogous to that of Central Asia
dry, timberless and barren. II can be
densely populated only in districts which
can be extensively and literally irri-
gated, as in the basin of the Great Salt Lake,