Daily Republican., 1885-02-24
Lo the Poor Indian.

There are still people who wonder |
Why the Indians every now and then |
evince their savage nature and break |
out in murderous raids against the |
white settlers who may be in their
midst. They are plundered and robbed
by Indian agents either with the i'm
piled or express sanction of the Gov
eminent. For many years it has been
too VIGOROUSLY true that post traders
have been permitted to charge the In
dians whatever they pleased, and many
shameful stories are told Of the sud
denly amassed wealth of the traders
who started in the business in poor cir
Cumstances.
A few years ago this subject was
brought before Congress ard sweep
ing reform was promised. General
Crook WAS placed in command OF the
Military district which embraced tue
I White Mountain reservation OF the
Arizona. General Crook seemed to
understand Indian nature, and his rule
was huma 1e and successful, and had he
or men like him been permitted to re-
main in charge of that district there
would not have been the trouble that
after wards ensued and which is even
now keeping both the Indians and the
white settlers in feverish state of ex-
element. But General Crook was re-
moved by the order of the Military De
partment to another district, when i'm
mediately a new plan was adopted
which has gone far to neutralize the
good he had done and all the efforts
made by others to advance the civiliza
ton of the Indians.
A recent report by an agent If thu
Indian Rights Association will throw
some light upon the manner in whicl
these poor red men of the forest hav
been swindled. In 1883 an attemp
was made by the Interior department
TO furnish the Indians through agent
with cattle, but the contractors pui
chased an inferior kind of Mexican ca
tie, three-fourths of which either die
or ran away.
The Indians say in speaking of thes
cattle Some were yearlings, othe
were older than this world and la
not a tooth in their heads. Those wi
did not die of cold died of foot diseas
or of hunger, because they had no tse
to eat with" The report of the age
grows worse as it proceeds. Gri
mills are very much needed but cam
be had, and the poor Apaches are ma
to pay the outrageous price of 81 p
hundred pounds for -four which cos
the Government 1886 delivered. 7
prices at the port trading stores wit
ont exception criminally extortiona'
These same thieving traders W
cheat the Indians are compelled
sell to the United States soldiers at
gulated rates, but no such restrictio
are placed upon the trade with the
dams and they are virtually hand
over by the Government to be robb+
Here are some OF the prices which
Indians are compelled to pay
Five yards of calico, 81 ; a cork C;
vas covered hat, $3.50 General Gre
bought one for himself at the ga
agency for 81 a 25-cent silk b sndE
chief COSTS 81 80 a coarse felt
$3.50 three pounds of salt % cen
~ pounds of CO fee, 81 three and c
half pounds of sugar, 81. The Conn
sary department at Apache sells G
eminent Rio coffee at 10 cents
pound, and sugar at 6 q cents per pou
California wine costing, when delive
90 cents per gallon, is retailed at s5
gallon. The Government sells sail
from 36 40 cents per hundred poul
but the post traders make the Indi
pay at the rate of 1888 per hume
pounds.
This is a sample of the name
which the Indians are treated
cheated and yet we wonder
they do not make more rapid prog
in civilization. If nobody but I
chartered thieves were the sufferer
these sudden uprisings of the Ind
the country could bear the loss wit
overstrained sympathy. Until
eress takes this matter in ham
earnest and sends these thieves &c
penitentiary instead of setting ther
in trading posts it will be of but
use to attempt the civilization Of
Indians.