The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-12
A Word to the House Military COM
mittCe.

When the influence OF Gen. SHFRMAN's
name and testimony was last taken into the
room OF the House Committee ON Military
Affairs to give weight to a predetermined
report In favor Of an army Of $4,000 men.
and to make economy and Justice kick the
beam, the chairman inquired OF the General:
"In 1861 the Texas frontier and the entire
Indian frontier were protected by less than
10 900 men Z" To this the chief Of the Mill
tary Ring replied: Yes; and we did not
have one tenth as much frontier then, no.
not one-twentieth as much a. We have now
We are accustomed to wild iuaccuracy
IN Gen. SHERNAS's testimony; yet his OIL
eial position gives constant credit to his
statements and makes them seryiceable to
the maintenance of waste and privilege.
Directly the reverse OF what he testiies to
ie the truth in respect to the extent Of the
frontier requiring to be guarded by troops.
That has steadily contracted since 1861.
rising tide OF immigration has advanced
upon every side Of the buffalo range where
the Indians OF the plains wandered, robbed,
and murdered The Comanches have re-
ceded before the obstinate settlement OF
western Texas. Ranches have pushed
out further and further eastward from
the foothills Of the Rocky Mountains Of
Colorado. The Black Hills in Wyoming and
Dakota are an outpost Of civilization in the
very heart Of the Indian power OF 1861.
Farming comes steadily down both banks
Of the Yellowstone. A line Of steamboats,
has been established on that mysterious
river, and commerce and travel are "A pro-
sale fact in he fearsome valley Of the stream
from which the Sioux, from 1861 e. 1879,
practically excluded the Government of the
United States. From the British boundary
line down to Nebraska, the eastern half Of
Dakota has been cut OF from the frontier.
Three-quartors Of Nebraska has been cut of
from IT, The whole of Kansas west OF its
centre has been shut to the kiOwas, Conan
ches, and Arapahoes since 1861. Five rail
roads have been pushed entirely across, or
lar into the immense central Indian do
main o. the Northern Pacific the Union
Pacific, the Kansas Pacific, the Atchison.
Topeka and Santa f., aud the Texas Pacific
These roads have obliterated Gen. SHER-
MANS frontier.
Not only has the tide Of settlement, adj
vancing upon the Indian country, contract
ed its area on all sides, but the number Of
the Indians has amazingly decreased War
and disease have more than decimated
them Nearly all are on reservations. Al
most oil of the warriors Of every tribe have
submitted to be fed and clothed by the Gov
eminent, and have thereby lost their indie
pendence and fighting excellence Indeed
the frontier has been shorn OF its terrors
since 1861. 1t is now a romantic region,
where II is safe for West Point darlings of
anxious mothers TO go; where buffalo and
black-tailcd deer can yet he got by skiful
hunting; where an Indian fight must be
gone after; whore the necessity of an army
Df even ten thousand men is hourly disap-
pearing. For Is not the Yellowstone II
steamboat route?
That line Of steamers on the Yellowstone
gentlemen Of the Military Committee Of the
House. is tremendous fact. 1t ..,,,.o
Oh" LIVER Of the Sionv nation. If tanks
them at last on the north. They are sur
rounded now; and the frontier" on which
the enormous military appropriations have
been voted and recommended by yon and
your predecessors, with "A blind obedience
worthy of slaves, is rolling away like mist
Tho people see it, They see too that the army
In its present numbers is not necessary;
and they demand Of you to stop taxing them
for its support beyond force Of ten thou
sand mcn-to stop the unnecessary and
wicked waste of twenty million dollars q
year Of their hard-carned money.