Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-07-18
Cause of tie Indian War.


to The Portland Oregonian:
We are in the midst of an Indian war.
1t has signs of being more extensive,
costly, and bloody than any of the past
wars with them. This arises from the
fact that the treaty-Indians, the peace
able and industrious, as we'll as the
non-treaty, idle and nomadic, have
come to believe that the government
does not mean to keep faith with them,
or to redeem its treaty-pledges to give
! them titles for their allotments of
farms on their reservations. They
learn that congress and the commissioner
| of Indian affairs propose to force them
from their homes to new, strange. and
rugged reservations, or to mass them
on one or two large reservations.
Many Oftnem have made small farms.
built houses, bought agricultural nipple
ments, and stock, and other means of
comfort. All these have cost them
much labor. They love and cling to
their homes as We do to ours.
They know that the war with the
Nez Perez chief, Joseph, and his band
last year, arose from this purpose to
force him and his band away from
their Own-never sold lands-in the
Wallowa valley, and drive them on the
Nez Perez reservation. This was felt
by many to be unjust III principle and
impolitic in practice. Those Indians
felt it more keenly. All the tribes sym
! phatized with them. Runners have
passed from tribe to tribe during twelve
or fifteen months past, discussing then
grievances among themselves, and try
ing to bring all to common purpose
not to 60 to their new reservations, and
not to give up their homes. The result
that a general distrust of the word is
| the honor of our government prevails
among them all. They will not furnish
Gen. Howard with scouts for this war.
| They wait the turn of events. They will,
if pressed, fight and die in defense of
| their homes.
Treat any man unfairly and you put
a mighty weapon in his hand that will
smite yourself. The avenging Nemesis
will find and punish the guilty. Word
has come that a whiteman
has filed lien on the farm
of Charley, Nez Perez, of
Timothy's band, at Alpowai, who was
also a faithful scout under Gen. Howard
last year. The white man alleges that
the Indians has not taken his land eX-
actly according to the forms of law
But we know that the law giving Indi-
ans homesteads off the reservations was
not passed until March 3, 1875, and that
these Indians have lived as citizens sew
eral years at Alpowai, and that their
rights began as citizens with their Occu.
pancy of the claim, either by pre-emp-
ton or homestead. They can and must
hold in chancery these homes in which
they have lived ten on fifteen years. 1t
will be fine opportunity for a gener-
minded attorney to go into court
and defend the case and secure the
rights of this faithful scout.
The general land commissioner or
dered the farms of those Indians to be
kept for them. The Occur d'Alenes,
whose farms are probably on unsurvey-
ed lands, will doubtless present similar
cases in equity. Meanwhile the at
tempt of white men to jump. that In
dian claim will be like a lighted match
to powder. It VIII destroy the faith in
us of the best Indians, our longtime
friends. 1t will fire their hate and ex-
pose the guilty and innocent alike to
revenge. Such deed published
among the other tribes will incite them
to deeds of blood The meanness of
the act will arouse sympathy for the
Indian, who is striving to do all his du-
ty as citizen. Every one Of that band
last year gave their property under
oath to the assessor to pay their taxes.
How base the deed that will strike an
Indian down and cast q fire-brand into
the homes Of the settlers.
The injustice of Withholding titles to
hOmesteads on the reservations, of not
securing to the Indian his home in
law, causes the same peril to communi-
ties on the frontier. In fact there is no
safety for any man, white or black or
cOpper-cOlored, except under the pro-
lection of law. This flag of law, instead
of war, ought to have been thrown over
the Indian long ago. The cost and diff
ficulty of doing it now, and of turning
him from war. will be great; yet it must
be done, and that soon. or the next offer
of the Sibylline leaves of wisdom will
come with added losses and costs.
Gen. Howard said to me the other
day before the outbreak CT the Ban
nocks: " | expect war at any mo-
ment [ nave been in constant COM
munication with Gems. Mcdowell and
Sherman for several weeks. The fer
ment is widespread. 1t is among many
once quiet tribes. 1t seems to be eX-
tended across the continent"
Understanding that titles to Indian
homesteds on the reservations had been
pledged them by treaties, and that they
had long desired these titles, and that
they knew the recent plan to move
them to new reservations, and that they
would not go unless forced to do il, but
would be quiet and friendly if the pa
tents are given them. Gen. Howard, in
view of these, has sent telegram to
the president, asking him to issue those
patents at once as a war measure. No
reply has come. Meanwhile the war
has begun with its usual murders. raids,
uncertain movements, alarms, vexa-
tiOus suspense, costly traversing to and
fro by long marches and slow trains
over the arid plains of the interior, six
hundred miles away southeast of the
headquarters of the department of the
Columbia, on whom the responsibility
has again fallen to quell the disturb
anceS.
Distrust of the whites and the gov
eminent turns friendly Indians to foes
kilograms to-day give signs that the
Umatillas, the Warm Springs, and
Klamuths are hostile. Gen. Howard
strives to prevent the union of those
now at war, with those on the reserva-
tions.