New-York tribune., 1880-06-20
TREATMENT or THE INDIANS.
TALK WITH GENERAL MILES.


THE SITUATION on TAE FRoNTIER-IHE PRESENT
SYSTEM OF DEALING WITH INDIANS FAILURE
HOW THEY SHOULD BE CARED FOR
al expect TO return TO the West very sOon,"
said General Nelson A. Miles, the celebrated Indian
fighter when called upon at the Breyoort Hous'
recently by % TRIBUNE reporter. - camo 10 WASH
ngtou for some business, and had returned rs lar as
Chic Igo when 1 was obliged to come back 10 "ese
Point" 49,
Tovv are n,otters on the frontier now General Mllesp
Well I have been East for two months, ana cannot
sneak from actual knowledge; but the main troubles
seem to 10 with tho Utes NdvGOe5 and Apacnes III tne
Southwest"
"Does not General Hatch seem to have incurred the
lwil Of civilians III the southwestP o.
eyes Isuppose the people down there arc dssatls-
fled because he doesn't catch all the Ind ians and Kill
them But that country is very mountainous The In
dnns separate In small bands and travel from place 10
place with great rapdy. They are all well mouhteu'
and Just as well armed the troops. They ma plenty
of white sell them repeating rifles ana cartridges
as long as they will pay for them"
"AGe not these Indian troubles often begun Dy tne
whitesl"
"Oh yes there are two sides to these stories. There
ore plenty OF drunken and ruflanly the frontier
who delight in making trouble with the Indians"
"What Is the condition Of things In the Northwest"
The Sioux are mostly In Canada now, and every
thing quiet You know Sitting Bull is regarded
British subject"
"Wil the completion OF the Northern Pacific Railroad
tend prevent trouble from the IndansP
Certainly. The railroad Will greatly aid the trans
portaon OF troops aud munitions Of war, and will open
nm very valuable country for settlement. Ranchmen
aud agrcuurists Will come in and tho road VIII prove
an ehectual barrier against the sioux"
"Will you be kind enough to give your views regard
ing tho Indian question IN generalP
"Wel have given them so many times that 1t rather
| seems Ike forcing them on the pnbic. However you
L ehoO India in
! try including tho hostile semhosc, and so-called
| civilized Indians. there nro more armed war
| rIors than thcro arc soldiers In the United
States Army ANY attempt 20 control these Indians ny
small Isolated bodies 81 soldiers or any eH3It Wy lily
noncOmbIants to induce them 10 cnalEc lllelu ou it
OF fr must the very nature or the case, result
I'm failure Tho Indians have undoubtedly suffered many
wronts Trcaca with them have Teen broken. and war
has driven them from their homes OUT on tht Droau
plans OF the West subjugateu anu doomed rtce, 70
nry have been pensioners without any
government, other under close military ,urSehlh,o Or
nontirrsmen, ana Army officers hke mvsrr can say
TINT tis system has not been suecrss. ~ Dnu'a t,Uy
a9% dGslgrd les ln|s nnd 10 i2.i TS sysctn 81 io'
"o" ,rotuai change should he introduced that woud
give tl Indians the same rights TINT Other men enjoy
or s the best goyrfHm ct pos me one that sbl DC
-trone and lust Ihc cIy lzcd and s,mtcylzcd tribe
could remain Ht present, aud thr Wild ana n0mdIlc
Tribes should De- placed und"r the control ot thr VIZ" De-
wrimrut. they would be under tho charge oi officers
Of character Integrity aud oXpeI'che'' h.h tny
should Dee lochzd "a flr "a osrlnir on tle lupU 40
uu. parts of the country T. when thev 9re oy h
urrudaucd. They should hp located by Amles' 10 rs
10 brrunr independent of Their trhn relations, anI
| nh enppllr-. annultlr-. AMI disbursements ol
lon.y should he made under thr sumo system OF oo-
r,rnt,b H.. ns now regulates army disbursements.
Iroii.cr IN charge should hay" sufficient force 10
tr.-rrt 'er tie r-"ryntlun- touitOi tnf "'i" "i
numuu.t.,n. and prevent the sale VI Intoxicating
hf.or4. ,,,,.,, -, In
d.cr,i 10 lrro:- utIlcuiuil3'-. lur Lvilpus ponce
,ll Dee sold aud carte BOUGHT. and the Iuiaus could
t, f4..t tn rtsrtrop4 Their lndus,; could be thl'
Giirr,r - peaceful aHd u-rin. puisil,7; PIT tlc 3 v
! w,,k ~ it,ormHtipn must bo through tLC
J tnrl ~ Tie various uih's. Military pose
,tIl tio Other bul lll.s on the rc'orvatonS cOu'u
be- ufl..z,d iJr tGIrIIOun anl inhi.ua. pnip1se+
1i,,u a hc tuur.- O.. Iu-cr to settle all GllNrutmr
t,t tlr ilrtn hand ot TIE law. The p.tsldc"t should
iu, ..,,r 10 trlu ,tt fiOH tuc Var Department 10 III,
ii,r ar DE-. arfrri,t ty tulr thar shi b,cono civil
il,,l and u-accabir. Moreover IN 'n einrr2cn'y h'
.t,tl . gi,r 10 ur,rr me d.-lDuNun OF 5upplFs as
iu trr r.r 90 d faurc oI tho crops. To SUM up o
ln.yc f., litnx the lnars nud'r the caro- of Tue wal
t,,.rf,irf uutll thry b-cpur -uar"puy cuucN'u hu'
.lyl 10 rare FOR Themselves. II thS 10 not done III,
ur,,It chronic STATE OF Insecurity ANA hostility mus
| toutlnit. !ndt Inlttiy."