The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-06-04
General Custar On the Sioux Indian
Pf06l0na. :.

General Custar On the Sioux Indian
Problem. ::
Central Custer was interviewed last week
| py representative of the New York Herald
ana the &c conversation is published in that paper
t oa tae zTa, occupying over four.:olumns If fine
Tyre. The most Of the Generals remarks were
devoted to the graphic descriptions Of the
country west Of the Missouri. We cony
some OF the Generals remarks, ornittinr Tie
tQescr1ptlons and references to his supnosed
expedition OF this year, which last are eyi-
oently BASED on Gen: Sheridan's letter Of last
wlnter, without information that he has
abandoned the project there outlined.
i. : !. .-1 WHAT IL DETERMINED.
!wil! repeat, says Gen. Custer, that it is the
determination OF the government and Of every
officer connected with this service in the We::
tolabor faithfully in protecting the Indians 81
Sheir undoubted right, at present, to that nor.
rion of the Black Hills included in the treaty.
GENERAL TERRY,
who is the department commander, isopposed
to It, and he bases his arguments on very con-
sclentious grounds He was a member Of the
commission which was formed some years ago.
composed of members OF both branches Of Con-
gress, few prominent citizens and three OF
the general officers Of the army. He, being a
party to that treaty., IS familiar with the
reasons which governed the commission in SET
ting aside the territory tor the use of The In
dians. BE thinks that now it would be q
breach Of good faith on the part OF the govern
ment to induce or make them move from this
reservation: He is even opposed to buying it
unless the Indians voluntarily come forward
and offer to sell it. A further reason which he
gives IS that the present policy Of the govern
ment is to induce them to support themselves
and engage in tilling the soil. The reserva-
tions located on the Missouri river are unlavor-
ruins the crops and the next the grasshopPers
devour them, SO that even skilled white labor
would be discouraged. But the Black Hills,
so far as we know, are subject to neither
droughts, floods nor grasshoppers, and if the
purp0sed experiment is ever made among
the Indians it must be done by
placing them where they can have the advan-
means OF making livelihood, and not by put
ting them on ground where no white farmer
would stay. Gen. Terry IS one OF the most
conscientious men l ever knew. and he is a
man who has made the Indian question a
special study. He has been in command on
the frontier 9f many and is familiar with
pressly states that the Black Hills shall be a
permanent home for them. He thinks that
they should never be deprived of it without
their express consent by vote of three-fourths
o. all the male members of the tribe. and he
thinks that even if those who go to Washing
ton should agree to part with the reservation,
1t a strictly legal proceeding. The Indians
have no better friend than Gen. Terry. When
say friend, mean man that will see that
they are justly dealt with.
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY
know that he has attempted 2. policy thai
has been very successful. It is, to first make
aggressive war on the Indians and establish
the authority Of the government, and, having
once subdued them, 70 locate them on reserva-
to stay there. Having done this, he would
then encourage them in the art of agriculture
The Indians have inclined toward this plan
and the results have been satisfactory.
RELIEF FOR INDIANS REJECTED.
have an officer at the Stony Rock Agency
who reports the condition of affairs. For the
last tW o months the Indians there have been
reduced to actual want and suffering. My at
tention was called to this officially, and on in
vestigation found that, although bountiful
provisions asd been made BY, the government,
winter, and the agency is 100 miles from the
depot OF supplies, with no means of trans
portation until the opening of spring
navigation. l telegraphed to General
Terry de e,cribing the sui tsrings and inability
Of the Indian Department to take care of them:
mended that / be authorized to turn ever
enough to keep them from starving until the
Indian Department could get supplies. Gen.
Terry approved, the proposition was transmit
ted through the War Department to the Sec
retary OF the Interior, and thence to the Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs but the provisions
we're declined, with the information that the
agents: After this I learned that the Indians
were living upon their ponies, and it is on
record tha' they have actually died Of starva-
ton. Imagined that our provisions were re.
fused because the Indian Department feared
that their acceptance would be used as evil
dence OF its inef6ciency; and as an argument
in favor Of transferring the management of he
Indians to the War Department, where, in nv
opinion, it properly belongs.
THE AVERAGE INDIAN AGENT.
Reporter. Do you think the Indian Depart
General Custer. Iwould not like to say so of
the whole department.. 1t is not tair to judge
it by some OF its agents.
Reporter. What is the general character of
the average Indian agents
s General Custer-1 can probably answer
best by quoting an Indian Chief He asked
me to see the Great Father and make state
in his favor possible, and perhaps til. govern
ment would send new agent. "No,' said
the Chief, tive don't want new agent. Agents
come here poor and get rich in q few years
This nan has everything he wants. If a new
one comes we will have to make him rich
also" l explained, saying that the Great
Father tried to select good men, He replied
warmly, ''They may be good men v hen they
leave Washington, but when they get here
they are all dam rascals" l do not believe
that the indian derives anything like the full
benefit Of the supplies sent out by the govern
ment,
INDIAN LOVE OF COUNTRY.
One reason why the British and Mormons
have so little trouble with the savages is, they
do not encroach on their territories as rapidly
as we do. They do not require them to be
constantly moving. They buy, and are slow
to extend their boundaries. The Indians have
the bones Of their ancestors, and dislike to
leave it. Love Of country is almost a religion
with them. 1t is not the value of land that
they consider; but there is a strong local at
tachment that the white man does not feel, and
consequently does not respect.
HOW TO INACCURATE CIVILIZATION.
The mistake Of the Indians is this--they
take the act of an individual tor the sentiment
of the government. The President has done
everything in his power to better their condi-
ton. am one Of those who believe that the
only way to manage the Indians is to use
force and observe strict justice in all dealings.
as to the whites. 1t is their nature. I do no,
think that when we encounter hostile tribes
on tue plains for the first time that they can
be induced TO live on terms of peace with the
| frontier whites, even supposing that the latte,
offered no resistance. To become great in each
others eyes they must commit acts Of barbar-
ity. is this idea that is instilled into the In.