River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-07-09
sci really can't, | am too drunk 10 read
small print hy candle light,n ..-..-.-
Suffering Among the Arapahoes.

10 tIle hultOT OF Lne lflDuue'
SIR; The telling strokes that you have
been dealing the Indian Department
through the columns of the Tribune .
have been keenly appreciated by all dis.
interested readers. For more than three
years past have been so situated as to
be frequently brought into contact with
the tribes of Sioux and Arrapahoes;
sometime for weeks together, and my op-
portunities for observing their habits,
customs, and manner of living have been
particularly favorable. My experience
has convinced me that these people have
been more sinned against than SHINING,
and that instead of being universally
condemned for their misdeeds they de-
serve infinite credit for their forbearance
under long-continued abuse and injustice.
The result Of my experience is that in
every case Of Indian outbreak, OF raids,
murders, or other outrages committed by
them, If we Investigate the matter thor
oughly and penetrate to the root Of the
evil, we will invaria oily find white man.
do not pretend to NC an admirer of the
Indian; far from it. But, unless one
resolutely shuts his eyes to the transac-
tons of daily occurrence about us here,
or Is dead to the barest principles Of jus.
tice, he can only admit that the Indians
In this district are enduring oppression
that the meanest spirited whites would
rather die than tolerate. 1t is no exag-
geration TO say that some of these Indi-
ans are literally starving, and in this as
sertlon l do not hesitate to say that |
will be supported by any white man, civil
or military, now at this agency, and not
in some way connected with the Indian
Department.
Within two miles Of the military post
of Camp Robinson is village of about
200 lodges of Arrapahoes. These In iians
are quiet, peaceable, poorly armed, and
have only few ponies. As this country
is destitute Of game, they are entirely
dependent for food on the agency here.
They are supposed to receive every tenth
day rations of pork, -four, coffee, sugar,
and tobacco. They have not received any
rations since May 30th, the issue that day
consisting of salt pork and tobacco. both
OF decidedly inferior quality, and, | am
told by the Indians, one-third of the
usual ration. The same day they re-
ceived few small steers, the first in
twenty days. They are thronging the
post and cavalry camp here, begging for ,
bread, meat, or any article Of food. Men
and women visit the back yards and sion
barrels, and eat with avidity such scraps
as they can gather. For three days |
have seen them around pit into which
my cook throws the refuse of his kitchen,
fishing up bacon rinds, potato parings,
dry crusts of bread, old bones anything
that can be eaten. A fne.looking old
man, with handsome gray hair hanging
over his shoulders, came to me this morn
ing with two 50 bills in his hand, which
ne offered me, saying in broken English,
"swap, meat, coffee, -four l told him
| had none to "swap," and recon-
mended him to the agent. He re-
piled, HE got none--no meat, no -four
none, none" / told him to go to the
trader. With a discouraged gesture he
replied what knew, "No, he got none."
| told him could do nothing for him.
With Respondent, almost despairing air
he said; 81 got six papoose (holding up
as many fingers)--one, two, three sleep;
nc eat none, none. Agent, he got none
trader, he got none. He say, train
come tomorrow. | go tomorrow, train
no come. He say come tomorrow. 90
tomorrow, train no come. Idunno. NV
six papoose he eat none---one, two three
Sleep"
| rarely give to these people. Whi,-
there can be no question as to their fit
ness as subjects of charity, self-preserva-
ton is the first law of nature. 1t is said
that you cannot expect soldier to pos.
sess all the cardinal virtues for $13
month. Much less then can you expect
to find these virtues in starving Indians.
The Indians are without the gift of mod
Grafton. If you give to one of
them, he comes next day and
brings half dozen cronies. If
you give to them you have twenty next
day, and so in regular proportion until
you would soon have an entire tribe on
your hands, and having received from
you once, they seem TO feel injured if you
refuse them on a second application. So
it is policy to harden your heart and lock
up your pantry. But the old mans dis
tress was too much for my hard heart,
and my cook gave him what he could
find. He offered to pay FOR it, and when
the money was refused, with an emphat-
ic SLOW, how" he started off at great
pace for the village and his ''six pap
Oose."
So they are come to starve. The
children are perfect little skeletons, arms
and legs like pipe-stems, and faces bony,
gannt and old looking, with an ashy, un-
natural complexion that at once attracts
attention. A woman had one of them,
a little three-year-old half.breed child,
with lovely brown eyes, light hair and
fair complexion, at the post to-day trying
to trade him off for a sack OF four. Now,
somebody is certainly to blame for this
state Of affairs. Somebody is response
BILE for the starving Of these people.
They have submitted to the authority Of
the Government, and this is their reward.
Who can bllme them if, starved into des-
peration, they leave their reservation, kill
cattle that do not belong to them, and
shoot man who resists themi Would
not you or be tempted to do the same
thing under similar circumstances, Mr..
Editor N.
Red Cloud Agency, Neb., June Z, rs.
Danger of Indian War in Northeast
ern Kansas.