Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-01-22

Eprron o. TIE AvAHr CouRIsn:

EDITOR o. TUE AvANr COURIER:
The Times Of the 10Th irst. states that
Instructions may be expected this month
lot the Crow Agency TO confine the Noun
tain Crows to their reserve, which tn y
will not be allowed to leave without being
accompanied BY detail of troops. and i.
adds: "The result can bot be good. and
will Prove one step in the right dlrec-
ltiOn."
Now, I think that the result will prove
anything bat good, and al! who know
nyth1ng about the Grows and their re-
serve will probably be of the same opin-
ion. unless they wish to drive these lodi
ans into open h"stil,ties. Their presen,
reserve 10 Of all Eastern Montana the por
ton poorest adapted to the support Of
rowing Indians. while it Is at the same
time the most valuable to the whites The
greater portion ot it 10 broken or mouh-
ia nous. with fertile valleys along the
Streams with rich deposits OF iron and
coal and probably silver and gold, and
with extensive pine forests fhis not
what the Indian wants. He is much bet
ter pleased with the vast plains along the
Musc.eshell, Fiat Willow and Judith ri
vers He finds here buffalo ct all seasons
If the year and in greater abundance
than anywhere else on the continent, while
only scattered herbs feed on their reserve
with the-excepiion, possibly, Of the ex.
|treme extreme eastern portion Of 1t, which
the Crows are AFRAID to visit with their
families. on account of the dangerous
neighborhood of the Sioux. The conse:
lquence'fs that the Crows are very seldom
found, on their reserve, except when they
come in to their Agency to draw their an.
nulties. They might come oftcner than
they do now, if he Agency was located
in II more favorable spot lower down the
Yellowstone A few hang around the
Agency the greater part Of the year, bu'
those are generally the most worthless
members of the tribe Those with any
energy disd:in to live there in idleness
On the open plains among the buffalo, Oh
on the war-path agains: the Sioux do they
find their homes. Even row, q portion oi
them have not visited their reserve fol
more than year.
If such an order were issued to them, a,
lis mentioned in the Times, they would
have but two alternaiiyes-to rema,r
around their Agency, fed and clothed BY
the Government, or to disobey the order
No ope having had anything to do Will
1.-THE Grows and acquainted with their wild
untameable spirit will entertain for a mo
: ment the thought that they would "ccep
the first alternative. They would simpl,
,Iignore the order aud go on rs they have
always done Then the Government mus
leither leave the order.a dead letteror sen.
3 troops out and compel the Cows To IT
. turn. Nothing would probably be don
|, and the only consequence would be tina
the Indians would brcoms more iIsolen
: than ever, and hold the whites in still
,1greater contempt. If force should b
: employed. the Crows would ally them
| selves with the Sioux, and we should hav
al AHHl1u wal ukOu OuA lNshu0s WIN w
= frontier almost unprotected. 1t is we
| known that large faction in the Grow
: camps have been anxious to join the Sioul
! for some time and have been restrained
| only by the influence of the older ant
; wiser men, and the feeling IN those band
4 following Long Horse, Old Crow ant
her chiefs is 50 evenly balanced that I
very slight thing may turn the scale il
favor Of the Sioux and the war-path.
} We repeat II: Such I'll order ca, b
welcome TO those only who wish to pro
vokc an Indian war, with our wives ant
Ichiidren unprotected If that is advocat
!. ling the interests Of our country, it is t.
Us new way of doing It.
\ WHITE.
sBOzEMAN, January 20, 1875.