New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-08-15
THE POW-WOM KlD6.
The Standing Rock Indians AbsolutsIy Refuse to
Sign the Treaty.

News.from Standing Rock Agency says The
council with the Indians upon the treaty fol
opening the Sioux reservation he's broken uI
and adjourned.
Eaeh.of the commissioners, in well consid
cred and earnest addresses, warned the Indi
ans OF the bad results likely to occur in the
case of their refusal to accept the offer of the
government Before the meeting OF the coun
ell the commissioners knew thatit had beer
determined by the Indians to go home
In the open council John Grass
reiterated the determination of the
indians torefuse to sign either paper. They
started to leave, when Agent Mclaughlin
arose and ordered them to remain, which
they did. The commissioners finally ad.
go home and attend to ther crops
and the commissioners would proceed
to other agencies; when the Standing Rock
people We're wanted again notice would be
given them. Then they dispersed quietly
and set out for their homes. Every possible
argument has been made to induce the In
dlans to consent. 1T is certain that they
had determined in their councils long before
the arrival of the commissioners to reject the
offer Reports from the lower agencies are
very conflicting. The next agency viGited
will be the Cheyenne River
Another dispatch says: The language OF
Chairman Pratt to the naughty chiefs Of the
tribes intensified the opposition of the In
dams, and instead of making a break in
the ranks, solidifed the opposition and ee-
mented the friendship of the factions The
matter was virtually settled when John
Grass arose In conference, and informed
the commission that the Indians would
sign neither papers, and that they would
now return to their farms regardless of
What the commissioners might say AS
soon as Grass closed the circle was broken
and the Indians started for home All the
efforts of Chairman Pratt to control the In
dians were futile. but Agent Mel aughlin sue
ceeded in restoring quiet and have the con-
terence adjourn with semblance of order.
ltwas a most humiliating scene The rep
resentatives of the government of the United
States sent to confer with the Indians were
left standing helpless and hopeless while the
Indians who had repeatedly rendered their
decision not to sign left the conference with
contempt depicted upon their countenances.
When jain Gross, after his brief speech,
called for those to sign NO." not an Indian
arose When he called for those who sign
Yes, !" every man remained motionless on
the ground. But when he requested those
who would sign neither paper to arise, every
man rose with cheers and yells.
II. Dunbar, issue clerk at the Rosebud
agency, Oak, and j. A. Nebzer, chief of po-
lice, say that they have asked the opinions
OF overa thousand Indians during the past
month with regard to the opening of their
reservation, and not one of them was in fa-
yor OF it. Last week the Indians at Rosebud
had big council composed of over sixty
chiefs and head men, in which all the agencies
We're represented, and they unanimously
pledged themselves not to sign and to use all
their influence to prevent other Indians from
doing so.
Thefailure of the Sioux commission to secure
the consent of the Indians TO any ofthe agree
ments is very notifying to the interior de-
partment officials, for Secretary Villas has
taken q greater interest in the success of the
proposed opening Of the reservation than in
anything else coming under his admins
tration. He selected his commission
with a special reference to their ability
to deal with the Indians, but such
was his anxiety to secure an army officer
that after Crook and Ruger declined to serve
he selected Capt. Pratt Of the Carlisle school,
for the place. 1t seems to have been an I'M
fortunate selection, and officers of heinterior
department. are inclined to place upon Pratt's
shoulders the larger share of the responsible
lty for the present attitude of the Indians.
Pratt plunged right in there and attempted
to bulldoze the Indians said one angry
official "and he has not succeeded. He
Is a martinez and can do nothing
except in brutal way. He was captain
IN negro regiment before he went to the
school and could knock his men around as
he saw fit. Then he got control of large
number of Indian children at Carlisle, and
there he could bulldoze and boss things. He
used to treat people in this department.
much the same until he got setback a while
ago. Now he has gone at this work of deli
cate diplomacy like a bull in china shop, and,
of course, he'll fail.''
This opinion of Pratt exceeds to several
other government departments that have
dealings with him. The other members of
the commission could, it is thought, secure
the consent of the Indians if it were not for
Pratt.