National Republican., 1883-10-17
INDIAN CIVILIZATION.
Agent ntMCGillyouddy's Observations Among
the'Viliagcs Near Pine Ridge Agency.
Agent tMcGillYcuddY has written the follow
Agent ntMcGillycuddy has written the tollo
ing letter to Commissioner Price:

ing letter to Commissioner Price:
UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE, PINE RIVER
missioner of Indian Aaairs.-Sir ! have the honor
to report my absence from the agency proper on
the third, fourth fifth, sixth, and seventh instants
for the purpose of examining the indian villages
and schools and selecting suitable range for the
agency COW herd. / found all of the villages in
good shape a large increase in the number and
size of the fields under cultivation, aud large
number of new log houses In process OF erection !;
also great many stables being built by the
Indians for the shelter OF their ireighting animals
There is also a very large increase In the amount
and manner in which the Indians have put up
hay for winter use; and this, with the substantial
wood piles seen here and there, shows that the
Indian Is using some foresight Broad Trails
village of the northern or Sitting Bull Sioux COM
pares very favorably with the old agency Indians,
showing, In fact, as it does larger proportion OF
houses to the number of families. Over half OF
our Indian families now live in comfortable log
houses, where five years ago there was not 4 sim
gle house owned by Indians. There Is scattered
through the villages large number of poultry Of
oil kinds
At one of the most distant and prosperous viii
lagos, that of Little Wound, on Medicine Root
creek, thirtyive miles from the agency, is located
the trading store of Belt, yonng full blood, who
has saved up money earned in ireighting. His
store, built by himself. is neat and well managed
he imports" kerosene oil by the barrel and bed
Steads by the doZen from the town of Valentine
Neb., buying and selling for cash. regret TO re-
port, however, that on some of the creeks certain
bands have Systematically, opposed and withheld
aid from the village schools in the way of sending
the children to school, noticeably the band of
American Horse, on Medicine Root creek High
Wolf, on Porcupine creek, and Red Cloud and
Red Shirt, Mt the agency.
1t is a little peculiar that Notwithstanding the
claim made by the New York Tribune and other
organs Of the progress of the aboriginee, for the
desire OH the part OF Red Cloud for civilization,
&C., the fact stands that not a child from his band
to-day attends either Carlisle or Hampton, and
that, although the agency day school is located
but one mile from his village, for the past three
years not single child of the dozens in his village
attends ever has attended the school. This fact
appears strange in the face of the reports In the
eastern papers last win er that Red Cloud is vis-
iting his child-en at Carlisle and Hampton"
In this connection / would invite your atten-
ton to article OF the treaty of 1868, aud article
of the agreement of 1876. The government has
already provided six schools on this reservation
and will build four more would II not be well to
hold the good old'' Indians to their promise, and
would not be warranted in subjecting myself to
the charges of the New York Tribune Of discrimi-
mating against certain Indians by fuvoring those
that try to live up to the treaty and send their
children to school?
Is the government and its agent fnlhlling its
duty by these people in al flowing Red Cloud and a
few other old heathens (yho some o.. our eastern
Christians seeking to make martyrs of, TO not
only refuse themselves to advance, but TO advise
and prevent the young and irresponsible Indian
children from receiving the benefits of scnool?
Very respectfully, V. 4. MCGILLYCUDDY,
u. s. Indian, Agent