The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-11-07
BUFFALO BILLS VIEWS.
The Celebrated Indian Fighter ON the
Indian Problem. r. i5-

The Celebrated Indian Fighter ON the
Indian Problem. r. M.
Toledo Commercial, Oct. 2l.l lt1'' NI
Born upon the Western psairies, and
reared amid wild scenes of tumult, his
father murdered in. their early days
when Kansas, with the struggle Of .
young giant, was shaking on the yoke
of African slavery, q trained Indian
fighter, taking his first scalp at the
age of twelve, and having served his
young State In earliest manhood as q
trusted and hon0red member Of the
legislature, it Is probable that VIM. F.
Cody is as we'll acquainted with all that
pertains to the West as any other liv-
ing man. .: 5uiL l.,sia 1F4s1 sdN
A question of growing importance
and of serious import just now to the
people of the United States, is the
management of the Indians by the
government.: The conversation turn
Ing upon that subject, the Commercial
representative said: .r",E H.i
ssWhat are your ideas on the Indian
problem, Mr.. Cody? In other words,
what would you do to secure . better
and more economical management of
the Indian tribes by the government?''
"I think can sum up my policy in
a single sentence. 1t is this: Never
make q promise to the Indians that is
not f0l6lled. Agents promise too much.
Men of calm, prudent determination
must be sent among the Indians as
agents. Those who are sent often
know nothing of the Indian character,
and either through fear, Ignorance or
dishonesty, are led into making prom
ises which the government cannot or
will not fulfill. Every Indian out
break that have ever known has re-
suited from broken promises and
broken treaties by the govern ment. >"
"What do you think of the peace pol
icy or the policy Of encouraging agri-
cultural pursuits by the Indians, Mr..
Cody?'' 4T r5et0 .aEi'ta.' - F"'l
cit has already resulted in good, and
will result In still greater good, If hon.
estly aud intelligentiy pursued. You
cannot make an Indian work by
standing over him with shotgun.
He must be taught that 1t is to his in
terest to do SO, and brought into 1t by
degrees. Too much cannot be accom-
plished all at once. But ifa wise, firm
policy is pursued, the Indians will
gradually drift into agricultural pur-
suits.' s s#..a "..l 3.
Speaking of the recent outbreak of
the Utes, Mr.. Cody said he thought
the Indians were badly treated. He
knew that for years miners, contrary to
treaty, had been settling upon their
lands. The Utes had protested, and
the government had paid no attention
to them, and they had finally taken
the matter into their own hands. Mr..
Cody had been with the Fifth Cavalry
for six years, and he was consequently
well acquainted with the Utes. He
had taken the first scalp to avenge the
Custer massacre. On the same day he
also killed Red Knife.
"What do you think of Grant as q
third term candidate, Mr.. Cody?''
"Next to myself, think Grant is
the luckiest man in America. Nothing
would surprise me.' .
"How did you get the title of sBuf-
falo Bill Mr.. Cody?"
"In 1867, when the Kansas Pacific
road was being built, was in the SER
vice of the government. One of the
managers of the road came to me and
said the men were out of meat, and
asked me what I would contract to
furnish twenty-five buffalos a day for.
told him I was in the service of the
government, and could not work for
him at any price. The company,
however, made an arrangement with
the government, SO got of, and he
hired me at $500 month to shoot
buffaios.' I thought $500 per month
was the biggest salary any man ever
received. 1 went to work, and in
eighteen months killed 4, $50 buffalos.
The sPaddys' employed on the road,
as consequence, became very tired Of
buffalo meat. When they saw me
coming they knew my presence her.
aided a fresh supply of buffalo meat,
and they said, one to another, sBedad,
here comes Buffalo Bill again; sharpen
up your grinders, we'll have more
buffalo meat now.' soon became
known along the entire line of the
Kansas Pacific as Buffalo BILLY