The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-11-26
THE ARMY.


many Of our large cities are still at tn.
mercy of the iron clads Of foreign Nations
In case of rupture of our relations. But Il
Is hoped that public sentiment will before
long prevail on Congress for liberal appro
priations in this respect" The division Of
the Missouri has had disturbances which
have severely tried the troops and thu
supply departments of the Government
First came the Oklahoma invaders. The
sincerity Of the leaders of the Oklah0ms
colony, may well be doubted, but they were
bold in their movements and have carried
the scheme to the verge Of blO0dshed. The
belief exists that their intention was no,
actual settlement but ID call the attention
Of Congress to the opening up of the In
dian Territory, and that money was secured
for their purposes by interested corpora
tions. Following the Oklahoma invasion
came the Cheyenne and Arapah0e disturb
ance which threatened the horrors of an In
dian war. For the true cause of this trouble
and the particulars of its settlement, l refer
to my report to the President made in July
last In the southwestern corner Of New
invasion of q small body Of Chiracahua
Apaches from Arizona, and large number
Of troops are ut present operating in the
district with the view of its protection.
am In hopes Of IN early settlement of the
Apache difficulty in such . manner as will
forever prevent Q recurrence of the raids Of
these Indians.
/ In the Northwest General Terry, COM
handing tho Department of Dakota, was
obliged to keep . large number Of troops
in the field on account of the Riel rebellion.
General Howard, commanding the Depart
ment of the Platte, in addition to furnish
ing troops to the Department of Missouri
for the apprehended difficulties with the
Cheyennes, had and now has to provide
troops ON account Of the troubles at Rock
Springs, in Wyoming and other points OH
the Union Pacific Railroad.
TEXAS AND THE PACIFIC.
The Department Of Texas has enjoyed
unusual quiet, but has furnished aid in the
New Mexican and Indian Territory troubles.
OF the Division of the Pacific, General Sher-
idan says: The situation in that part Of
the division comprising the southeastern
portion Of the Department of Arizona. was,
/ regret to say, far from satisfactory 80
long as General Crook had control of tile
Apaches under the agreement between the
Secretary of War and the Secretary of the
Interior. Matters are very well in Arizona,
but when contentious began under the d.
vided authority that existed year ago, dis
trust and trouble arose among the Indians
and continued until the outbreak of the
Chircahuas in May last The outbreak
was petuiant and without cause, and EN-
braced only part of the tribe, but
this element comprised the young and
most vigorous. The conduct of this band,
not exceeding fOrty-twO men and ninety
two sQuaws. was fendish in the extreme.
Unprotected and unarmei people were
murdered whenever met, and when pressed
by troops they scattered like flock of quail
and came together again at some designated
point from fifty to one hundred miles dis
tant. They should be eXterminated or cap
tured, and l have the greatest confidence in
General Crooks ability to accomplish this
purpose, though the difficulties are very
great
OF the Indian question General Sheridan
says: Take the Cheyenne and Arapahoc
Indians as an example. They have nearly
$500, 900 acres; 100000 would settle them
in severalty and the 400, 900 acres remain
ing. if purchased by the Government in the
manner described, would yield an annual in
terest sufficient for their support The Ute
Indians have about 100000 acres which,
il purchased in the same way, would fur
nish revenue adequate for their support.
The same plan could be extended to cover
most of the Indian reservations in the
country. l only propose that the Govern
ment buy these lands for security and safe
ty. Settlers and spectators would buy them
and take them at the average Of $l.25 per
acre, some of them are now worth SIS or
$40 per acre. In this way the Indians
would have perpetual security until Con-
gress chooses to give it to them to be used
IS they may see fit. The Government
would lose nothing and the Indians would
only be getting the value of their property
safely invested. The Indians are not poor.
They are only incompetent ut the present
Time to take care of their own property and
therefore require looking after. The
treaties We have made with them might in
terfere with the condemnation ard pur-
Congress could easily devise sOme means Of
overcoming this difficulty.
GENERAL MILES.
can not agree with General Miles in his
recommendation regarding the Indian Ter
ritory, or his confidence In the ability of the
Indian to make himself self-supporting in
10 short time. All our experience hereto
fore does not warrant such confidence and
such opinions should be regarded as indi-
vidual rather than representative of the
army. The process of civilization must
necessarily be slow, and 1t will no doubt be
worked out in time II firmness and fair
treatment Is observed and steady policy
be pursued, but the ultimate result Is still
the same distance In the future. When
, tribe becomes refractory or has
worked itself into state Of open revolt
its temporary transfer to the control Of the
military for purposes of discipline, Is has
recently been done with the CheyeEnes,
Arapahoes In the Indian Territory and the
Apaclies in Arizona, will be found Of bene-
fit. but the permanent control Of the indians
Is not desired by the army at large. The
Seminole Indian scouts now In the vicinity
of Fort Clark, Tex, mentioned in my last
report, have not as yet been brought back
to the Indian Territory. Sympathy for
them is very great and the injustice they
have undergone for eight years has often
been referred to without effect They are
a good people and should be provided for
In the Indian Territory.