The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-06
Our Wretched Indian Policy.

OuT WTetChe0 lnd1an POLICY
The Senate spent large part Of a day
recently in discussing bill providing
for an agreement with the Sioux ma
ton in regard to buying portion of
their reservation. In the course of the
debate the necessity for such purchase
was urged as the only means of prevent
ing general Indian war.
We do not see why our over-burdened
taxpayers should be called upon at this
time TO contribute q large sum to pay for
lands which the Indians do not desire to
SELL and the value of which has been i'm
mensely overrated. Indeed, we are I'M
able to see that the United states are par
ticularly In need Of more real estate at this
time, when millions Of acres OF fertile pub
lie lands lie undeveloped, Notwithstanding
the enormous gifts to railroad corporations
which have been made from the public
domain within the last few years. OF the
thousands Of gold seekers who have in
truded into the Sioux country. hardly
any have made as good wages as they
would have made at home. The impor-
lance of securing possession Of the Black
Hills country on account of the great min
eral wealth it was supposed TO contain,
therefore fails to be OF use as an argument
for the proposed purchase. The truth is
that the exaggerated accounts Of gold dis
coveries which have been published
through the country were the fruits of an
attempt to manufacture a stupendous job,
which was the first cause of all the agita-
ton in regard to acquiring the lands in
question.
Still, 1t would be better 10 buy the terri
tory belonging to the Sioux at fair price
than to rush into q general Indian war
which would entail an expenditure of
many millions and lead to n repetition
upon our frontier Of the horrors which al
ways accompany savage warfare. Ow-
ing, however, to the mismanagement which
has characterized all our dealings with the
Sioux in connection with this matter, the
most warlike bands of that nation are now
greatly exasperated, and it is doubtful
whether they would consent to sale Of
their country at anything like its actual
value, especially as IL is well understood
that persons connected with the Indian
Ring, for purposes Of their own, have en-
couraged the Sioux chiefs TO place an ex-
But we do not believe that there Is any
necessity either for general Indian war
or for the proposed purchase of the coun-
try in question. 1t is well known that the
influential chiefs, RED CLOUD and SPOTTED
TAIL, are IN favor of peace, and through
their assistance il is probable that satisfac-
tory terms could be made with the heads
of other bands who are now decidedly hos
tile. Let our Government compel the
withdrawal of the adventures who have
invaded the Indian country in defiance of
law and regardless of treaty stipulatons
and convince the Indians that the United
States will deal fairly by them hereafter,
and there need he no further cause Of DIFF
ficulty. If it shall be said that the Govern
mcnt cannot compel such withdrawal. we
have only TO reply that II would find 1t an
undertaking much easier OF accomplish
ment than the determination of the In
dams, which is so glibly proposed by peo-
Pile who seem to he incapable OF under
standing the lessons which should be
learned from our former experience with
the same tribes.
Once more we call the attention Of Con-
gress TO the Indian policy which has been
pursued in Canada. There Indian wars
are unknown, ana the expenditure per
capita on account of the Indians III the
Dominion is tritling compared with that
of our own overnmont. And yet some OF
the fiercest of tho very Indians who were
engaged in the Minnesota massacres, when
driven over the border became quiet and
penceable members of the Canadian Dopu-
lation. The reasons for the success OF the
Canadian policy and the failure of our own
are obvious. The Canadians have kept
faith with the Indians, while we have per-
sistently violated treaties, and the agents
Of the Government have cheated the In-
dams in every possible way. A change
In our policy would save many lives aud
millions upon millions of money.