The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-09-05
STARVING INDIANS.

Indian wars on the American continent
are practically ended. The great Indian
tribes are broken up and separated from
each other and are undergoing rapid pro-
cess of extinction. In less than four centu-
ries the North American race has passed from
universal possession and savage power to
fragmentary and isolated remnants, depend
ent upon their cenquerors for their daily
food. They are broken and helpless peo-
pie. In the contact with civilization they
have not only been sverpowered, but by
strange fate have rapidly died out as has died
out and Is dying the nobler game ofthe land.
That 1t IL the survival Of the ittest does not
relieve us of the duties of humanity, and the
North American Indian may now claim OF
the American people the immunties, consid-
Grafton and support of q prisoner of war.
We have possessed ourselves Of his heritage
and he Is left us as an incidental legacy. 1t
has long been an axiom that 1t 10 cheaper TO
feed than to fight him; now humanity adds
Its weight to the feeding proposition. Edu-
cation in the arts of peace may enable partial
self maintenance, and the inductive method
through pastoral life and education offers
some prospect of a semi.civilized condition
of the few that will constitute the diminish
Ing future generations. The government Of
the United States has been looking to this
result and with all Its failures, through NAL
administration, dishonesty and incompetency
has made some progress. But the necessity
for providing food for them is, with the dis
appearance of buffalo and other game, com
ing upon 1t more rapidly than Congressman
seem to realize. A few years since the mat
ter Of Congress failing 10 provide supplies or
the Indian Department failing to have them
disappo;ntme t TO the latter. They could
kill game to supply their wants and revenge
themselves by outlawry. Now it means
death to them. They cannot find game and
are not strong enough TO modest the settle
ments. They llnger around the agencies
and die.
A condition of affairs such as this now ex.
lists among the Indians in Northern Montana.
The Piegan Indians have been represented
as starving in a country where there Is 10
game. Governor Crosby called the atten-
of the Department to the matter, and a state.
ment was published, ostensibly on authority
of a report from Major Allen, Agent, con-
flicting with the reported distress. Governor
Crosby thereupou sent special agent to in
vestigate the matter and he substantiated
former reports. Now, the report of Agent
Allen is published by the Indian Commits
sioner and 1t explains the situation, showing
that right now, In the plentiful summer, lie
Is issuing portion of next winters supplies,
saying with manly courage, "these Indians
"shall not die of starvation while have any
"thng to give them" That is right. Con-
gress, 1t appears, reduced the appropriation
one-third, the House cutting 1t below that
as q matter OF political economy, probably,
in this political year. The Agent is feeding
them now their next winters food. But
what will they do when the winter comes?
Perhaps then the House will vote the
additional supplies demanded, and 1t will
cost double for the transportation it would
now, If transportation can be bad at all. If
no further supplies are voted, we know that
Agent Allen has been advised to march his
starving Indians to the nearest military post,
Fort Shaw, and surrender them as prisoners
of war. 1t would be good thing to do.
The story the Agent tells Of the condition
Of those Indians appeals to every heart. 1t
is shameful aud inhuman to starve the poor
creatures, and it is asking good deal of a
savage to request him under the crcumstan-
ces to refrain from outlawry. 1t is estimated
there were $500 of them and that fully 300
died last winter and spring Of starvation. 1t
W uld hardly be reasonable to expect that
1000 Christians would sit peaceably, after an
experience like that and await with patience
the coming Of another winter with even more
threatening emptiness In the storehouses.
The emergency 10 yet within reach Of the
Government, even II Congress has failed to
appropriate. Sufficient supplies should be
shipped at once, II necessary by the War De-
parlment, and hereafter no such exigency |
should arise. 1t lie known that we have TO |
feed the Indians, and 1t Is absurd to suppose |
that $25 each per year will furnish them food
enough. fit is the decision of the Ameri- |
can people that they must die, let it not be
by starvation. If 1t is their decision that |
they shall have an opportunity to live, let
them have enough to eat and by the most
successful known methods encourage them
to produce for themselves. The Piegans are
not very popular Indians in Montana, but
will take the liberty Of COM
planning loudly If even Piegan Indians are to
be made expiate their sins by systematic
starvation unto death.