Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1875-12-02
THE carss o. INDIAN wARs.


THE Cause OF INDIAN VANS
The report OF Major General Pope.
commanding the Department Of the
Missouri. which Is just published. trsais
the Indian question in q proper msnnsr
and plainly tells the truth about the
present management Of Indian tribes.
Moreover IL 10 just what might Be e.
psctsd from q brave and honorable SOL
der. In the following extract there
from. the feeling Of the military about
fighting Indians found on their rsssrva-
tons. il plainly told. The General says:
cit 4. With painful reluctance that the
military forces take the Geld against the
Indiana, Who only leave the reservations
because thsy are starred there, and who
must hunt food for themselves and their
families or see them perish with hunger.
II il revolving to see such things done.
and far more so to be required to DO an
active party to commit violence ON the
ferlorn 1sdians who. under pressure Of
necessity. only do what any man would
do under like circumstances. I desire
10 say, with all emphasis, what every
army officer ON the frontier will cor
roborats. that there IL NO class OF men
who are 20 disinclined TO war with Indians
- the army among them. The army
has nothing to gain by q war with tho
Indians; ON the contrary. II has every.
thing TO lose in such q war. II suffers
all the hardships and privations, and Is
exposed 10 tho charge Of assassination II
Indians arc killed. and 10 the charge OF
insflciency II they are not; to misrspre-
ssntation BY agents who fatten on the
plumber OF Indians. and 10 being misun-
dsrstood BY worthy people at . distance.
Who are deceived By agsnts; and thus
the soldier has but little 10 expect from
public feeling"
This 10 . succint statement Of the
cause Of nine out Of ten Of the frequent
outbreaks which the military are called
upon to suppress. Tho Government
has adopted the policy Of gathering the
tribes scattered over the West,
upon reservations. II makes treaties
with them. STIMULATING that II they will
surrender part Of their lands for white
and abstain from violence
to smigrants. Ii viii protect them in the
possession Of the remainder and pay tho
treaty tribe or tribes certain provisions.
clothing. etc., for the concessions thus
made. To this the Indians assent.
because forced to do 80. An
agent 10 then stationed at the ressrva'
ton thus created. whose duty II Is to
see that the promiss Of the Government
are performed. Just here the trouble
begins. The agents N . class are in
competent, and many are dishonest.
The issuance to the unlsttsred savagss
affords unrivaied opportunities for pee
ulation. II has been shown BY oft re-
psatsd Investigations that agents are not
allow to avail themselves OF tho chances
thus afforded. The Government buys
and pays for the food and clothing
agreed upon. Contractors furnish both
Of inferior quality. Agents issue
part thereof 10 the Indians and
appropriate the balance. The
result 10 that food becomes scarce.
the Indian becomes Ant hungry.
then angry. and at last maddened BY the
imploring faces Of his women and child
rem and the guawing Of starvation in
his empty stomach. he starts out on .
raid. A few cattle are stolen. some one
whs r~esists is killed. and the reports Of
the Agent represent that such q tribe
has become unruly and an Indian war
IL to be feared. This Is a synopsis Of
the history Of almost every Indian out.
break. Al last tho military is called to
punish the savages who. impellsd by an
instinct. common 70 humanity. have To-
fused to allow their wives and children
to perish from hunger or to be them
solves starved to death. Is 1t any on
der that the army 10 disinclinei 10 wage
war against tho Indians under such cir
cumstancss; that they ioaths tho duty
Of punishing men for doing what. under
similar conditions, every human being
would do' The remedy for this state
OF affairs 10 not In periodical changes Of
the head Of the Interior Department.
NOR yet In like action respecting agents.
Neither vill Peace Commissioners.
prayers. or ~elsrgymsn in Office prevent
. hungry Indian from stealing beef to
keep his wife and little ones from
famishing. II Ia simply to place these
wards Of the nation" in charge OF
those who arc called upon to subdus
them when rebellious; Who by s1-
perienee are qualified to judge OF their
necessities, and whose professional
honor will scorn TO rob and starvs de-
pendsnts. All persons familiar with
Indian history aud eharacter-notably
the froniis~msn Of tho west-ars
earnest in urging the transfer Of Indian
control to tho War Department.
WHISTLER 1t will be possible to wrsst it
from the clutches Of the ring which has
for years controlled appropriations and
robbed alike both indians and the Gov
eminent. is = problem yet to be solved.
Tns first section Of the Indepsndencs
and Santa Monica Railroad Is complete