Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-31

and practically demonstrated that Indians
can be trained TO become good laborers and
skillfdl mechanics, yet their progress has
not been In proportion to the Efforts made
in their behalf. It took Major Gassman
nearly two years 10 overcome and dispel
the prejudice which the Indians have of
new men. They di.trust all white men
and only acquire confidence after long
acquaintance and the most rigid
scrutiny and criticism o! their acts and
words. No matter how honest and truthful a
new agent may be-no matter how as,idu.
ously he may labor for their benefit, they
will distrust him and not believe a word he
cay until he has been thoroughly tried and
his integrity established beyond question.
Maj. Gassman had to meet and overcome
this prejudice and distrust. At first the In
dams treated him insultingly and contempt
uously. They said 10 him-"All white men
are liars you are a white man, hence you
are a liar too" But by patience, persever-
ance and straightfor ward dealing, the Major
has gained their confidence and they no
longer question his motives or doubt his
word. But he is by no means free from
trouble and mnoyances. There are ugly,
fault finding and dissatisfied Indians here as
we'll al elswhere, and always will be as long
as Indians and Indian agencies exist.
Major Gassman attributes much of the
troubles which exist in the government OF
the Indians to the frequent changes which
are made in the department officials. Under
the present system a com missioner of Indian
affairs no sooner becomes familiar with the
duties Of his position than he is displaced
by a new man who probably takes a differ
ent view and adopts a different policy from
that Of his predecessor, and in adapting
themselves to the new order of things the
agents have to meet the dissatisfaction and
violent opposition of the Indians. They
abhor Innovations. and look upon every
change Of policy as an ate nn,
to cheat or rob them in some wav or otho,
One policy, strictly and uniformly adhered
to. will succeed. 90 far as sncces, is possible
in the management Of Indians.-A temror.
izing. vacil'ating policv-of which we have
had and are hsving tor much-will not s,cc-ed
The Indians must be suhordina'el to the
will Of the government. The wild ores
now rowing over the plains must be whipped
into snhicctinn. and the Indians everywhere
must be taught anil made t, realize that
thew are subjects not m,st,rs.
The agency farm consists Of 500 cuItiva
ted acres. ard next year 240 acres of new
breaking will be added. Frank Trumbo,
an active, energetic man. is the agency
farmer. He employs lone but Indians 10
do the work, and he avs that as a general
thing they are good and careful workmen.
But then of course he employs the good In
dians, not the bad ones; and when an In.
dian refuses to work, Frank promptly dis
charges him and hires another in his stead.
As the Indians are paid for all the work
they do.'all who are given employment are
required to do a full and faithful DAVIS
work for every day they are paid. "No
work, no pay" is the rule here.
This letter is already too long, but us
we think Of a few more matters of news we
will append them in the shape Of
ITEMS.
Col. Lugenhcel, Of Fort Randall, will
leave in a few days on a four months fur
Tough, for the benefit of his health, The
colonel has never fully recovered from the
injuries received by a fall from a wagon
last summer. His tongue and one side Of
his f,ce are parti.l lily paralized.
The Red Cloud Indians have not come
into the agency on the Missouri, and it is
believed that they do not intend to. They
are scattered along White river a distance
Of seventy miles. They demand that the
agent haul their rations out to them. This,
however, we believe he refuses to do. Look
out for music from these "gentle savages "
in the spring. President Hayes promise
to Spotted Tail and Red Cloud that they
could go to the Missouri river this winter
and select agencies where they pleased in the
spring, is not the least of the blunders Of
his administration.
About one hundred horses belonging to tho
Spotted Tail Indians disappeared a few days
ago. Whether they we're stolen or straycd
away has not yet been ascertained.
Mr.. Hassett. the Black Hills correspond
ent of the Dakota Herald last summer. is
at present clerking in the suffers store at
Fort Randall.
Maj. Clarkson's store at Yankton agency
was burglarized last Sunday night, which
was before your correspondent arrived. The
burglar broke a window and reached and
despoiled the postof1ce money drawer
The "swag" amounted TO but a few dollars
The question is, Lo! who did ite
The issue of beef to the Yankton Indians
amounts to fifteen beeves per day-othcl
grub, in proportion. Aud yet they are
not happy.
Tho,o . <-o ob,.oL.. A.. r-