The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-02-04
A More SpOrtsmanlil<e Indian Poll
CIV Wanted.

A More SpOrtsmanlikc Indian Poll
cy Wanted.
Since ii has become q settled theory
Of our government that Indians are use.
less except as targets for army practice,
and that dead Indians are the only good
Indians, some radical changes are need
ed in tue regulations under which they
are murdered.
Even the quarrel hetween SHERIDAN
and SEIZURE has not brought out fully
the weak points in the present system
I, is little more than fight between the
cat and the dog to decide which shall
worry the ra's. True. it is shown that
= great deal OF good shooting Is lost by
allowing fine coveys Of Indians to die Of
starvation and bad whisky under the
management of the Interior Department, :,
hut the War Department proposes moth
ing better.
The almost total determination OF the
Cheyennes few weeks ago exhibits the
wanton wastefulness and wretched man.
aeement which now prevails This
tribe, of whom nearly one third were suF-
iciently matured to afford good shoot
ing, we're taken from their homes and
placed under the tender care Of an Agent
who had natural curiosity to see how
starved and free zing Indians would look
while he was selling their rations and
blankets to q trader But these unprin
cipled heathens actually started to run
away In search Of something to eat On
being overhauled they hadlthe audacity
to say they would rather die than go
hack, and again started away as fast as
their shrunken shanks would carry them.
The signal was now given for the target
practice to begin. But the shooting was
disgus,ingIy unsportsmanlike. What
skill does it require to blow the top of
an old squaw's head at six feet5 or to
plug an ounce ball through a six-months-
old pappoose at two yards rises The
whole thing was little better than that
abomination of the true sportsman
potshootipg.
This sort Of thing should be looked
after. II whole ooveys OF game are 20
be destroyed in this manner the entire
race will he exterminatea Then when
there is not an Indian LEFT, some old
Rebel curmudgeon will move to reduce
the standing army. Or some skinfiint
will offer an amendment cutting down
the number of Indian Agents, possibly
one. half! We warn Gen SHERIDAN and
Mr.. SEIZURE that this thing won: do.
What is really needed 10 economize
this amusement, and to get the most fun
out OF it, is first to adopt system Of
game laws somewhat similar to those
which so etfectually preserve quails in
this State 1t should be unlawful to
murder child or woman or helpless
cripple. These should be preserved in
order to perpetuate the shooting tourna
ments and the Indian agencies.
Then, there should be rules governing
the matches. which might he copied from
those of the Long Island Shooting
Club with slight notifications. The In.
dian could be placed in his trap at the
usual twenty-one yards from the shooter,
at the word the trap would be sprung,
the Indian pitched out. and the marks.
man would blaze away with his repeat
ing rife. or course pickets would be
placed outside of the boundaries to cap
ture and bring back for future use any
who might be missed, or who might
merely have fes bullets through parts
of the body not vital, and fall "outside
of hounds"
To give further zest to the sport, and
for the entertainment Of officers who do
not carry rifles, ring might be prepar,
ed in which to conduct prize fights be
tween wounded Indians and bulldogs
In fact the fertile genius OF SHERIDAN
could 90 diversity the fun as to make
the whole season "Roman holiday.
This plan, while it would protect the
standing army against any nefarious at
tempts tn reduce its number would make
its efficiency simply perfection wher
needed in controlling elections. Aud
instead Of diminishing, it would increase
to very gratifying extent the number
Of paid hangers-on in the Indian bust
ness by adding trappers, scorers, judges
and referees to the swarm.
1t can only be necessary to presen
the beauties of this plan to the menta
vision of those now in charge of our In
dian affairs to secure it's adoption. Fo,
besides being IN perfect keeping with th'
eternal fitness OF Republican things il
general, it would bring The military ser
vice into exact harmony with the civi
service as now conducted. and present
symmetrical whole which would be thing
Of beauty and a Joy forever.
Among all the names presented t.
Gov. BISHOP for appointment, from th
highest to the lowest Office in his gift
there is not another in regard to whicl
the expressed wish of the people Of tn
State has been so general and so con
spicuously unanimous as that of Col r
W. JONES for the position Of State Ii
brarian. The Colonel.s general and spe
cial fitness naturally brings to his sup
port all who know something OF th