The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-09

Such is the story as told by the Sioux chief.
RI tions are issued every Saturday. As each per-
does not receive his share direct there is much
complaint among the weaker ones. They say that
the strong and lazy Indians take more than their
share and frequently give them nothing. Humsn
nature is alike the world over. Colonel Poland
says tsat the system OF distribution is wrong. He
would have ratIons issued sonnet thing as they are
issued in the army, only he would give
each Indian q check during the week
signlfying the amount due him, and on pre-
senting this he could draw his allowance.
his would prevent fraud on the part OF bad In
dians. An account OF all Issues would be kept
and cheating made difficult on either side. 1t IL
urged that the task " giving to every person
would be too great at large agency like TINS. As
IL is now rations are issued only once week, and
the question naturally arises, what does the agent
do during the remaining i've oayss He has no
calls TO make, aud he does not visit the Indians.
By issuing tickets or checks calling for weeks
ratlous the Indians could present them when
they wished and by distributing the labor through
the week 1t would not be great There are ways
enough ~ give each Indian what 10 Justly due
chin II the matter Is honestly and faithfully at
tended 30. There Is little chance for cheating the
soldiers or tho government In the army, but the
problem OF feeding q lew Indians satisfactorily Is
considered too much for tne department OF "IittlO
latners" 10 solve.
rne government IL at fault 10 some respecta IL
winks at these frauds ana permits agents ana
contractors 10 conduct business IN their own way
agents. ike other people, must live. They receive
only 81, 500 q year for working In q wilderness,
withoul society any OF the comforts OF civllza.
ton. and they are liable at any moment TO DO
murdered or scalped Dy the Indians. II the de.
partment does not forward provisions In time for
distripution the agent Ia not to blame, but he
could resign and protest, and II the governments
refused to DO justice the press and the American
people would listen to him and sustain him. OF
course there are honest agents, but It IL hard TO
tell VINO they ara.
The traders here sell brown sugar at nfty cents q
pound, whiskey TO soldiers az twenty-five cents o
glass, eight cent calics At twenty-five cents q
yard; bacon, when INDIANS are starving, 81 q
pound; narrow ribbon, worth from ave to fifteen
cents, for fifty cents yAro; beads,
when cost tweve cents q string, for
MY cents; horseradish for 81 per bottle;
canned peaches, that sell in Bismarck for
twenty-five cents, are SOLD at nifty cents; small
jars Of green American pickles, 81 q jar; foolscap
paper, worth twenty cents, for nifty and seventy
nve cents quire, and all other things Ia proper
ton. At Fort Lincoln things are sold quite
reasonably. IL Is riliculous TO talk about
hgn fre2nts, Tor the goods are brought up the
Missouri River, and the rate Is about two or two
and half cents from st. Louis to Fort Lincoln,
Deside the weight OF each yard OF calico and tho
little strings OF beads 10 tnalgnincant. PrelRnt to