The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-07-07
TELLING THEM TRUTHS
ON THE INDIAN SITUATION
Gen. SchOfield Says the Present Trouble
Results From Hunger-Rations
Ordered Issued-Gen. Pope's
Old Robbery Report

| Oh SOuLl0hsL6rn new MEXICO are
becoming restless, because their
supplies are giving out. At
present they have nothing but
beef and short rations. In comment
ing on the above dispatch to Adiutant-
General Drum, General Scoheld said
there were as many Indian difficulties
as the troops were able to handle. He
thought II the Indian bureau could
not furnish supplies to these peo-
pie that the army had better
feed them out of their stores
and charge the amount to the Indian
bureau. Secretary Lamar consented 10
the proposition, and General Scho-
field was directed to issue rations from
the military stores at the post where
the trouble is threatened.
ALMOST A BAD OUTBREAK.
"We would haye had our hands
full" said an officer holding q promi.
nent position here, In commenting
to-day upon the contents OF the above
dispatches, "if the Apaches in South
western New Mexico had gone ON .he
war path. The Utes in North
western and Northern Mexico, the
Apaches in Arizona and the Cheyennes
in the Indian Territory are all giving
us trouble and they are widely sepa-
rated. When one knows the condition
of the Indians he cannot blame them
for their actions. They must do some
thing or starve to death. They have
no food and there is no game for them
to kill. The government is not halt
feeding them. understand .that
the appropriations for Indians; are
less now than they were several years
ago, and 1 have it from no less
| QntnnFifu than thn nnnarul al the
army thatthey are cheated out of por
tions of food purchased by
these appropriations TO which
they are entitled. By collusior
between dealers and agents they
get cattle weighing one-hal
or one-fourth what their contract calls
for. OF course, when this IL done, ,theil
food gives out before the end o
the year and they can get nothing ad
ditional on the reservation excep
snakes and insects, which they do eat.
Another army officer says that tn,
amount of food allowed an Indian by
the government will not equal NOR,
than one fourth the amount which il
given to soldier.
WHAT GENERAL POPE SAYS.
In 1877, during trouble with tn,
Cheyennes, General Pope sent th
following heretofore unpublished re
port TO tho war department:
Gas matters stand, the militar,
forces are placed in false and ver,
unsatisfactory condition in relation
| to these Indians. 1t is inhuman l.
compel Indians to remain at agencie
on their reservations, slhwly starving
10 death. If they do what any mai
would do under the circumstances
leave the localities whore they ar
placed TO procure food 10 proven
themselves and their families iron
starving, il is considered the duty O
the army topursue and force them bac'
and compel them TO starve peaceAbly
in other words, the military forces ar
required to compel these Indians /
starve TO death quickly or be killed,
they are not willing TO do 1t.
is impossible 70 believe that the 10Y
ernment Of the United State
intends knowingly TO be oven tacitl
q party to 30 monstrous a Grim
against humanity, and / consider 1
therefore, a duty both to the govern
ment and the military fore
to-. acquaint the authoritit
with the facts, however disagreeabl
they may be. II will be perceive
that large sum " necessarily use
from the appropriation for thes
Indian tribes TO transport th
supplies TO this and other remol
agencies, and IL is not impropt
, for me to again invite attention 10 th
numerous communications ! hAy
made in the last ~ years, that Indian
confined to tho reservations b
treaty stipulatlons be brougl
into points where everythin
is cheap and where tho Onormou
expenditure for transportation Of sue
supplies TO them will not he necel
| sary.n
IN September of the same yoar Ger
eral Pope ssnt another report to III
department and said:
The papers forwarded contain a mel
restatament of what have so ofte
brought to the attention OF the author
ties, that / feel reluctant TO iorwar
" th0m; nevertheless the subject mul
bO presented, aud must be dealt witt
unless the honor Of the governmo;
the faith OF its promises and c0mmo
humanity 10 these wrotchcd Indian
aud the safety OF tho people OF Oh
! frontier are not worth considering
Tho sltustion IL plain and nj
20 be misunderstood. Tho lndigr
AN NNNaLlNh hNN q bht MEAAhO
promise OF the government, emhodie
lr q treaty ratified by tho Senate, tn
they shall, in part consideration
observed and arc Oba0rVin
be supplied with provisions
amount and character specially state
provisions absolutely necessary
Keep thom from starving at the pla,
whero the government itse
has established them. The
are not 80 furnished, an
are In consequence in a sutlerir
condition, which must very soon fore
them to lleo from the reservatio
What are the military forces to dt
Is II really expected that they sha
compel these Indians 10 stay whel
they are and 8lowly starN
to death2 IL In imposslb
that tho government expects TIL
cruelty or that the troops should exl
cute it. ! do not undertake 10 sa
where Is the blame for this breach
solemn obligation OF the Unite
States, but 1 do say that under militar
supervision such a condition
things could not happen, unless Ifrol
failure OF Congress TO mako appropr
ations--a reasan which cannot be al
signed in the case Of the India
\ department. There are herds {
= cattle In the vicinity OF the,
Indians which could be bougl
and issued 10 them. II this be n,
done at once, 10 there any man WI
can blame the Indian for taking whit
he needs rather than starve 10 deaf
In the sight OF abundance an
when the government stan,
pledged 10 him for
su ubsistencs? trust that the seer
tary OF war will In some mann,
protect the army from being placed
such position as this, and II the Ii
dians are 10 be dealt with In this mai
ner the army nc least shall
held blameless for the consequences.