Daily Yellowstone journal., 1884-05-14
Wednesday, May "a. 1854.
INBlAN TREsPAssERs.

The fact that recently two lots of In
dams have at "a considerable expense
to the taxpayers been brought to civil
prosecution for depredations commit
ted against the stock interests must
lead to the consideration of the ques-
ton whether this il the programme
that is henceforth to be followed in
these cases. The stock interest is a
vast and constantly increasilU one,
occupying great area of our outlying
country, much of ii not fitted for agri-
cultural purposes, and such Of it as Is
agricultural, SO remote and inaccessi-
BILE ~ to he practically out Of the range
Of demand for years. Bordering on
these ranges. aud in some instances
planted In their very midst, are
bands of pedatory savages, virtually
abandoned to starvation by the gov
ernment under whose protecting arm
they are theoretically presumed to be,
and who, to support the life that
10 dear to every living thing, have no
hesitancy In slaughtering the cattle
that range about them. While they
may have vague idea that the rang
ing cattle are tina property of Others, II
10 still too much to expect that they
should have SO fine discernment OF
the rights Of others Us to refrain from
providing food for themselves and
their families. Game there is none;
the white man has driven II off, and
the tardy and foolishly economical
policy Of the government has either
reduced them to half rations or none;
In o similar situation q white man
would act just as these Indians d.
and have done. For the Indians
therefore, there Is small blame; bul
shall the stock owners, because of an
inefficient and unwise Indian policy
be compelled ut personal cost to sub
sist these Indians? There are three
remedies for this unfortunate state OF
affairs, the first and most proper one,
Ii In the immediate action of the gen
eral government, which should ut
once take steps to do its duty by it,
wards and citizens by combining the
former to reservations where they will
not interfere with the growth of the
country, and be suitably and suffici.
emily provided for; but the general
government IL slow to act, and in its
Indian department VIGOROUSLY blind
and incapable. The second remedy
Ii the one recently appealed to by the
stockmen, that of considering the red
trespasser the same as q white man
and subjecting him to the penaltie.
accorded by law. The stock men are
tax payers, and heavy ones, and are
entitled to full protection for their
property, but II can easily be foreseen
that to attempt the arrest, incarcera-
ton and trial Of every Indian trespass
Or on range cattle will entail q heav,
and endless expense on the countr,
and II is doubtful II In the end 1t vii
attain the deslderatum Of teaching ig
norant savages the lesson that sucl
trespass must not be committed. TIL,
third and most practical remedy
though the one most to be depreciatet
aud avoided, is the armed protection
Of the range cattle by the stock mel
themselves. That 1t may come to this
aud soon, is entirely within the rang.
ofpossibilities. and that the lesson thu,
taught the Indian would he most sal
utary Ia not to be denied, but ever,
citizen should be interested In bring
Ing about more peaceable nd justn,enI
Of the difficulty. The Indians as now
located on and near the cattle range,
are standing block to the prosperit,
Of our city aud Its tributaries aud ,
concerted movement should ut once b,
made for their removal. While tn,
general government Ii tardy In It's re-
c0gnition Of the necessities of Ia,
frontiers II II believed that "a petition
reciting fully and plainly the situa
tion. and signed unanimously by tn
stock men and business men of Mile
City, and placed In the hands of Oh
delegate In Congress, would he pro
ductive Of much good. Perhaps no
Immediately, bull by It's aid M opening
wedge could be driven that woul,
give promise Of early relief. In view o
which the stOckmen would perhaps b,
willing TO endure for a while lOngel
uie Ills they are at present heir to and
Iore both the costly appeal Ia civil
protection and the unwise, though
perhaps llecessitOus, resort To self de-
!e''se aud retaliation. Some Of oul
leading people should take this matter
up M once and see whit cnn he done
win u, " u fail In result we nre no
worse or than we were before. II II
succeed an cru Of increased prosperity
h"pened to the country.