Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-02-17

illness towards the yattlemen i'll every
way possible, ST. ii they have so far ex
hibited an ur willingness to lease theil
grass Tor any number OF years
Withir. the past few
Yeas the cattlemen who have beei
grazing their herds on the INDIANS
grass have employed several OF inc
Indians as herders, who are iouhd 'c
be adapted to the business, ana they
display an eagerness TO thoroughly
learn the cattle business. Some OF the
most prominent chiefs of these trioes
have recently expressed Willingness
to lease their lands to these crttlemeh'
provided they can find employment as
herders, so that they may learn the
business. Several cattlemen met the
representative chiefs of some oil inc
Indian tribes in council near wichita
Falls last week, and the two parties
exchanged views. The cattlemen
frankly made them propositions Tor
the leasing of their lands, which the
more influential chiefs regarded with
favor. Those present were complaisant
and favored the acceptance of the Of
fers to lease; but they could not con-
clude any terms with the cattlemen
until their propositions were laid be-
fore the others of the tribe not present
and approved 10y them.
While this action of the cattlemen is.
of course, prompted by self-interest,
the Indian must see that his own well
fare Is included in the acceptance of
some such proposition as was made to
them at Wichita Falls. They have
millions of acres of land now lying
idle and unproductiee. The lease in.
come of these lands would be so much
clear gain TO them. Moreover, IL
would give them an interest in cattle
raising, and teach them how to become
seli-supporting by stock-growing. The
history of America, from the time OF
its discovery four hundred years ago,
fails to show single instance OF any
Indian tribe that succeeded in agricul-
ture. The severe labor and necessary
constraint of farmers life is distaste-
full to their habits. They will be driven
TO see that they cannot much longer
resist the pushing demand for throw
ing open the Indian Territory to occu-
patton. The necessities of commerce
will compel it. 10 strengthen them
selves against that time is the
policy of the wise chiefs of the
tribes; and in no other way can they
do this so surely and effectively as in
devoting their country to cattle
raising, and in learning every detail !
Of profitable and practical business
with 1t. The pastoral and |
wild life of the herder suits Indian
tastes. The United States government
has fully recognized the truth of this
by counseling the tribes to so into the
stock-growing business, and has fur
nished the necessary cattle to give |
them a start Some of the tribes are |
now seif-supporting through the in
come from their herds. The leasing |
Of lands to Texas stochmen for term |
of years would give the In
dams the best opportunity of learn
ing the business from the most sue
cessful cattlemen, and at the termina-
ton of the lease, if they wanted to use
the land for themselves il could be APP.
propriated to their own use. For the
Indians who must look out for the fu-
ture OF their race, such an arrange
nient as that proposed at the Wichita
council will be best and most benef-
cial, and it should be agreed 10.