The Benton weekly record., 1881-01-07
TEE uNDHANs AS THEY ABE.
To the Editors Of the Record:

t1ls sentence dlClatVelF quoted IN our dlI-
ferent papers and periodicals. Only few
weeks ago there appeared caricature In
Horper's Weekly representing 9 partv.o OF
Indians dancing around a white man whom
they had just killed and scalped, and un
der it was written "Lo, the poor Indian
The caricature was intended to portray the
sentiments of an editorial on Indian af-
fairs, wherein the Indians were represent
ed as men worse than beasts, who de-
served killing off instead Of being aeelt
cared for by the Government, as the only
vision for them was to butcher every un-
protected white man they could find.
Some years ago an eminent statesman,
in speech on Indian affairs, said s.In the
beginning God made the land and gave it
to the Indians" Assuming that this is
true, let lis see what we have done to gain
the hatred OF the Indians. With the no.
table exception OF the William Penn treaty,
about all the land the white people live up
ON belonged TO the Indians and was taken
frefaa freffaaia tsn ttssen either by force or fraudulent
means. We have driven them from their
homes and the graves Of their ancestors;
we have wantonly destroyed the buffalo
and ether animals which were food, shelter
and clothing TO them. In exchange for all
the valuable land we have taken from them
the Indian Territory has been given them;
and now, not satisfied with our millions OF
acres OF unoccupied lands, we wish 70 take
that from them also. And the few tribes
which yet live on their ancestral soil are
envied, and steps are being taken to de-
prive them Of it.
$50, the poor Indian:'' We have given
you cause to murder las. The amount Of
| our blood you have shed is no compensa-
ton for the injuries we have done you;
and yet on every hand we hear the Chris
tian exelain, skill 'em all J" 'sWipe 'em
out ~ estrhey're dogs ~ ''rhey don't know
how to use the land" II God made the
white man He made the Indian. He made
the white man to live as 70 civilized being
and the Indian to live by the pursuit Of the
chase; but we have deprived them Of that
employment, and now comes the question:
| What ia TO be done with the Indians? But
before we answer thaG question let us see
what il being done with them now. Our
Eastern people and those of the West who
have had no opportunity to look at the
| situation, will reply: ''Oh, they have more
than they deserve; the Crows receive an
annuity Of 100000 per year, the Piegans
SAC, 1000, &C., &c.'' No, they do not. They
are supposed to receive that amount, and
the money is from the y. S. Treasury to
individuals who are supposed to distribute
it among thena In the shape Of provisions,
clothing and general merchandise. But |
repeat, they do not receive that amount
probably not one-quarter OF it. Where
does this money 90? Not being versed in
the intricacies of political stealing I can
not say for sure; but the agents at heart
know, becauee they receive the goods fol
the Indians, know the amounts and how
much they are worth SO we may safel.
nive in the stealings. The indians know
that they are being robbed, for plenty o
white men talk with them about it; and t
my certain knowledge, many white men
have advised certaiu Indians In this Terri
tory to kill their agent in the hope OF get
ting better one. To my certain knowl-
edge. no blankets were issued to these IN
dians last summer, and know chat their
weekly rations lasted them only from two
to three days, when they were supposed
to have plenty to keep them till the next
issue. And when the Indians demonstrated
with the agent on the state Of affairs he
would reply, "Pooh, pooh! Go away, go
|away! You have plenty, you have plen'
~ And they would turn away with q
sinking heart and fierce gleam in tlel1
ewes which, boded no good TO the agent
II it were not for the few buffalo aud small
game from which they manage to get q
gcanty living, God knows what they would
do, or where they would stop. There
would be death and desolation on many a
hearth-stone which burns with fancied
security.
And now comes the question, What art
we to do with the Indians? We know tha
they are not capable OF taking care ol
themselves and battling for their livell
hood with their sharp white brothers; we
know that 40 affairs stand at present, they
do not receive their annuities. Annuitie
large enough to keep them in comfortable
circumstances the year round. That beln.
the case, let us suggest change OF India1
affairs: Let us do away with Indian agent
and give the United States army full con
troll OF the Indians and their affairs. The
they would receive every dollar due them
: Let ,aa keep them on theirereservations
t show them how to build houses; give then
plows and farming implements, som
I stock cattle and horses, and they will liv
} peacefully and contentedlY. That the In
dians are anxious to live this way is eyiden
/ to all who have talked with them on th
subject. Last summer several Of the hea
chiefs Of the ----~~ tribe came TO us
great excitement and said shat they ha
q heard that their reservation was going I
4 be taken away from them. We assure
). them that it could not be done Withou
r their consent. With tears standing in h
e eyes an old, white-headed chief stood Y
a and said "We don't want TO leave hers
|. Our tribe has lived here since the Gree
q Spirit made them. Look az those mour
is tains. They have been fathers to US; "
s love them, and our eyes would ache If W
e could see them no more, Once we owne
:, the world, fmeaning the whole Northwe'
Territory but the&white man has drive
= as back and back till we cango no further
a ,,o.a rasa nz,lrr own enough land to liz