The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-21
10! THE POOR INDIAN.

Lie uOUlt Icu uldu, WIZ " " ChoSh
a century has been the highly painted hero
in all works OF romance founded upon
frontier or border life, is now rapidly de-
scending from the fictitious estate of no.
bility, courage and honor-which Cooper,
Bennett and a host OF other novel writer's
have SO lavishly ascribed to him-to the
low, grovelling. vagabond life assigned him
by nature. The paint, feathers. brass
trinkets, the cleaning ~tomahawk, and the
well.sprung bow and spear-headed arrow
which contribute SO much to adOrn with a
halo Of s%upernal glory the allegorical rep
reservations OF him, having faded away in
the dim distance, he now stands before the
civilized world as a poor, miserable crea-
ture, so degraded, indeed, as to scarcely
excite any sympathy in the hearts OF even
the most mercjful and philanthropic who
are thrown in contact with him.
The only attributes he ever possessed
are treachery, cowardice, Incidence, filth
ness and deceit: hence every white man
who has been unfortunate enough to fall
into the ambush or traps s%neakingly en-
ployed by him, or who has, for any cause,
had personalintercourse with Indians. is led
to wonder why they have never been pictured
in their true colors. Ii this had been done
all the glowing sentimentality which actu-
ated so much sympathy for them, would
have been dissipated long ago, and the
untutored savages compelled to submit to
the civilizing influences OF the white race.
Long ere this the Government should have
compelled them to recognize and respect it's
power and forced them to earn by honest
industry their own living just as the laws OF
the land require other races to do who ell
JOY it's bounty and protection.
Beginning with the cowardly yet blood
curdling massacre OF the early settlers on
the rocky coasts OF New England and in the
forests OF Virginia, up to the sickening
slaughter OF innocent women and children
at Wyoming, all the way down to the
butchery OF unprotected settlers by the
Apaches in New Mexico and Arizona, now
going on, all go to show the danger OF al
lowing them to keep up their tribal rela-
tions. The mountains, hills, valleys AMI
plains all over the land, from the Atlantic
to the Pacific oceans, have been stained
with the blood Of white men, women and
children, who, when in Il defenseless cordi-
tion, have fallen victims to the cowardice
and treachery Of various Indian tribes. 1t
is therefore high time that the white people,
through their representatives in Congress,
should adopt rigid measures to compel..the
noble red man to yield obedience to the
power and authority of the Government.
The Government long ago exhausted all
it's persuasive powers to bring them into
submission, but without avail. Large
tracts OF the cream Of the public lands have
been set aside for them as reservations,
upon which it was designed they should
live in peace. This plan has proved an
utter failure, because the tribes located
upon such reservations are continually
making raids upon neighborins ranches and
cattle ranges, killing every defenseless white
person and carrying off every thing within
their reach. An attempt was madein1S76
to induce the1l to adopt an agricultural
life by Offering them homesteads and o n
tinuing their annuities and preserving their
interests in the lands in their respective
NdOAOHns ANOuC u ohVLh, hO"SNC1 u0fC
seen fit to avail themselves of the Govern
ment's generosity.
The most practical suggestion for com
polling the Indians to abandon their tribal
relations and adopt a civilized life, is that
made by General Sheridan in his recent re-
port to the Secretary OF War. He proposes
that a half section 1920 acres) OF land be
set apart to each OF them in severalty, and
that they be required to earn their own liv-
ing. This agrees with the views expressed by
President Cleveland recently. Treaties
made by the Government with the various
tribes may be regarded as obstacles in the
way of carrying out such a plan; but when
it is remembered that they disregard their
obligations. it cannot be commended that
the other side ought to be bound by such
compacts. It will cost less to break mp
their tribes, place them on farms, educate
and make them work than it does to sup
port them in idleness. This fact must be
patent to everybody, hence the Govern
ment should no longer hesitate to act, but
move at once and rid the people OF this
national nuisance.