Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-07-31
PROGRESS Among REDSKINS.

Progress Among Redskins.
In the annual report Of Mr.. w. H.H.
Llewellyn, agent for the Mescaiero
Apache Indians, there is reference to
some curious customs. 1T is a
fixed law with them he says, that
the mother-in-law and son-in-law never
visit each other, and never see each
other, except when it can not possibly
be avoided. am not prepared to say
whether this is a step in the direction
of civilization or not.
They are firm believers in witch
craft. Shortly after my first coming
among them these people burned an old
woman who was accused OF practising
the black art: but did not learn of il
until last spring.
'In May last great preparations were
made to burn another witch. l visited
their camp with the agency physicia.,
and told them how they would be helx
responsible if their intentions were car
ried out. Up to the present time they
have refrained from committing this
terrible crime. Many people will doubt
less be shocked. but when we reflect
that these Indians are but little more
than century behind our Puritan fore
fathers we should not regard the Gus
tom which these savages still retain as
SO strange after ali. -
James Mclaughlin, the agent at
Standing Rock, Dakota, in his report,
knocks out good deal of the popular
romance about Sitting Bull. McLaugh.
lin says he is San Indian of very medi-
ocer ability, rather dull, and much the
inferior of Gaul and others of his lieu
tenants in intelligence. l can not un-
derstand how he held such sway over
and controlled men SO much his superb
or in every respect, unless it was by his
Obstinacy and stubborn tenacitv. He is
pompous, vain and boasful, and con
siders himself a very important person
but as he has been pampered and lion
lied SO much by the whites since the
battle of the Little Big Horn, l do not
wonder that he has an inflated opinion
of himself.
Describing Sitting Bulls attempt at
farming. Agent Mclaughlin saws that
he finally convinced the old man that
his war record would give him no
standing at the agency, but that the
Great Father recognized as the BIG
Chief the most Industrious Indian and
the one that did the most good and set
the best example among his people
Then Sitting Bull, who is ambitious, de-
cided to 60 to work, and, taking hoe,
began TO help some Of the other Indians
to plant corn. 81 visit d him in the
tield,'' reports Agent Mclaughlin, land
he seemed pleased that I found him
laboring; and in reply to my question
whether he found farming so very diff
cult he answered No I.think he has
now determined to be farmer
Mr.. McGillycuddy, the agent of the
Sioux at Pine Ridge, Dakota, says
"What earthly inducement or reason
can be advanced why an Indian should
60 to work and earn his own living by
the sweat of his brow when an indul-
gent Government furnishes him with
more than he wants to eat and chothes
him?'
Select 5000 whites of the pauper
class, or send 5000 of the assisted emf
grants to this reservation. feed them az
you do these 1dians, and they would
hold a caucus and vote to assassinate
the first one of their number who be-
came self-supporting.
"What we require are less supplies
and more skilled labor and employees.
What can do as an agent in teaching
5000 Indians agriculture with only one
farmer? 1t is simply a burlesque. Our
Indians are scattered along five creeks
over 100 miles. There should be at
least five farmers. The same is true of
all the other employees. One black
smith is all we have. one wheelwright,
and one carpenter. for 5000 Indians,
and yet we are told that the Indians
must be instructed how to become self
supporting.
''When | assumed charge of this agen-
cy in 1879 the entire duty of the agent
was to act as sort of National poormas
ter and deal out rations. Since then
the Indians have begun farming, erect
ed 625 houses, engaged five hundred in
freighting, built lj5 miles of telegraph
line, raised 1870 head of cattle, en-
ployed 40 moving machines in putting
up hay. kept saw, single. planning
and corn mill going, and advanced in
every respect in civilization, thereby
necessitating an increased force of
skilled white employees and instruct
ors. and yet we are limited to $4,000
to pay them all. Without change in
Legislation and system in approprating
the funds for these Indians; without a
change, giving them less food and more
instruction, they will not become self
supporting until the Angel Gabriel
sounds his call. and these poor hea-
thens awake in the dim uncertain here
after, when. subsisting upon a light
diet of air, there will be no necessity
for the self-supporting scheme. y
Washington Cor. N. Y. Sun.