Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-08-14
Inc Nez Perces 70 BE Removed.

Inc AtL LCICtc 70 DC AcMuNcus
Arkansas City Traveler.-Las
week the Traveller briefly men
toned the visit of james Reubens
an ordained minister Of the Ne
Perez tribe, to his people south o
Arkansas City, and his hope thai
Congress had at last recognized tn
justness Of the Nez Perces' CLAIM
for removal to a more healthful 10
cation and provided for thei
transportation. Since then W,
have looked over the sundry apprO
priation bill introduced by the
house as returned with senat,
amendments and find the followin:
paragraph: "FOr support and civ
ilization Of JOseph's band of Nei
PeTce Indians in the Indian Terri
tory, So, 600; ani of this amount
4 sum not exceeding 81 ,625 may be
paid under the direction of the see
retary of the interior TO James Reu.
bens. for expenses incurred by him
in taking thirty three Nez Perce In
dians from the Indian Territory to
Idaho, and the Secretary of the
interior IS authorized to expend the
balance of this appropriation for
the Nez Perce Indians now IN the
Indian Territory to some other To-
cation if he deems II proper so TO
do. and for.their support at such
new location. At this tune We
deem this question OF sufficient i'm
portance to devote large part of
our space 10 a short history Of these
Indians and their fortunes since
moving into the Indian Territory.
Chief Joseph's band at the time of
their surrender TO Gen. Miles num-
bered- about 950-scarcely one
fourth of the entire tribe. They
entered into war against the gov
ernment only as an act Of self de-
fense, or for maintaining property
rights. They refused to sign the
treaty Of 1868 which took from them
the land TO which they were
so greatly attached and cited as
reason therefor that the govern
mcnt had heretofore failed to live
up TO Its treaty stipulati0ns-that
the covenants were "a band Of steel
TO the Indians but 4 mere rope of
sand to the white man." This ac-
ton resulted in a war between the
Indians and the government which
Of course, resulted in defeat to the
former; we can hardly call it de-
feat, however. for they surrendered
with the understanding that they
were to be returned to Idaho. But
there Is where the injustice TO
these Indians commenced Simply
as prisoners Cf war they were trans
ferred, first 10 Fort LeavenwOrth
and located on the low bottom land
of the Missouri river, then TO the
Indian Territory. From the first
Chief Joseph and his band have
seen that their stipulations with
the government were TO be ignored
as had been the case with other
tribes and that they must depend
upon outside influence for help. To
this end Revs. Fleming and Viii
son of this city labOred until they
secured the united efforts of the
Presbyterian general assembly on
their behalf. This liluential body
brought the matter before the gov
ernment in such light a. to COM
mand recognition and to this agen-
cy and the labOrs Of these gentle
men are the Nez Perces principally
for the tardy justice done !
them That It Is a subject worthy |
the attention Of al humane people.
we need only cite a few undisputed /
facts. Out Of the $50 souls that 4
crossed the LolO trail III June. 1877. /
there now remain but 276-sick- |
ness, as a result Of climatic changes
being the principal agent in the l
work Of decimatiOn. OF all the
children born into this tribe since
heir settlement south Of US, only
three have lived to the age of two
years. This applies TO children
born later than one year after the
settlement of the parents in the
Territory. Another striking. yet
10 less true, result of their life IN
his climate is tbs fact that in a
arge majority o. instances the chill
lren are still bonn and born from
me to two months before maturity.
Add to this the continual decrease
lmOng the aged by death and We
ire not surprised at the rapid ex-
inctiOn of the race. Leaving aside
III sensational ideas of the superla-
i've goodness of "poOr Lo" or any
4 his relatives, pure justice and hu-
nanIty long ago demanded that
;hlef JOseph's tribe be returned to
dahO where the government prom-
sed to send them at the time Of
heir surrender. In Idaho these
indians are self-supporting. never
ccepting any ratiOns from the gov
rnment while here they are pen
lonors and their passionate desire
be united with their tribe makes