The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-07-18
Official Press of King County
Thursday, July IL, 1878.
THE INDIAN SITUATION.

II is as natural for the average man,
be he savage or civilian, TO bow to
success, as Tor the Moslem TO turn his
eyes to Mecca when in trouble. Thous-
ands have ever been found ready o
rally around the standard of the success
full Hector. The winning cause never
lacks for support Success attracts the
fancy like tinsel. 1t begess strength
of purpose fires the ambition taught
ems up the feeblest resolution, and in
spires the greatest courage. Bait the
feeblest brigand with this stimulus,
and it becomes a perfect avalanche of
terror. Once permit the weak handful
of Bedouins to think that they are alb
solutely formidable and wholly self
sufficient, and they are pretty certain
to become such.
Now this is just where the greatest
danger appears to lie In the present
Indian outbreak. The savage horde
now invading our eastern territory have
been we'll baited with this incentive to
an extensive prosecution Of their depre-
dations. They can now CALAMITY
parade the alluring tinsel Of their past
achievements before the vacillating
bands of would-be assassins, who are
only waiting to watch the results of the
first experiments. and count the costs of
a general participation before rushing
to arms.
SO far during the campaign the
Indians appear to have had everything
pretty much their own way. They
have been successful on nearly every
tack. Have spread devastation and
ruin over large extent of country,
inflicted an incalculable amount of
damage in the destruction Of vast
amount of property of every descrip-
ton, captured large bands of cattle and
horses, stores of ammunition, proyi-
sions. clothing, arms. etc, to the ex-
tent of quite stinting their Unsuitable
craving for plumber. The names of the
victims of their savage massacres have
rolled up in the hundreds, while each
new success has added fresh recruits to
tie ranks from tho wavering bands
about them.
General Howard meanwhile has
proved himself unable to bring the ma
RAIDERS TO terms. A brave soldier and
q worthy gentleman he undoubtedly is;
but many men Is worthy as he lack
in that peculiar force of character, cum
ming discernment aud generalship
which constitute the successful Indian
fighter, such as Crook is. 1t is pity
that in crisis like this, where so many
lives, such vast interests and property
are at stake that the government
should allow the lives of 50 many
brave pioneer settlers to be sacrificed,
without sending forward at once an
adequate force for their protection. In
the weakness and inadequacy of the
regular force available, provision
should be made for the immediate levy
ing and equipment of strong volun-
teer force to take tho field. ss might
speedily be done. The Indians are
elated over their past achievements, and.
as reported by our recent dispatches,
many of them have already crossed the
Columbia. The remnant left behind
are likely to obtain an opportunity to
follow soon. and through the induce
ments which they can hold out to the
tribes on this side, will receive extern
sive reinforcemsnts. Thei- objective
point 10 British Columbus, unquestion-
ably. and their course probably lies
through Yakima county. which they
may. with the large accessions they are
certain TO receive to their forces from
this side if they make the venture. lay
desolate the whole of that great extent
of country from the Columbia to the
British line. driving before them vast
herds of cattle and horses which Craze
on the great plateau of the Columbia