The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1889-03-07

and leave tho door open, and they
will go outside and stand OIL the
leeward side contentedly,;1
! The Reservation question is again
seriously agitatiug the mind of what
the Eastern novelists call the igno.
rant Red Man. Nov, when Mr.. Lo
is called fool big mistake is
made. Ignorance is n relative mat
ter, and while the Sioux as a mass
now but little Of books and other
refinements Of civilized lite, when
it comes to a question of the sur
render ofwhat they hold to be their
own they are prepared to drive the
best possible bargain, Whether it be
to sell beaver skin to the trader or
eleven million acres of l0nu to the
Government. They really don't
want all this land, because they have
no use Tor it, but they knos that
others want it and they held of last
Summer for q better bid. But they
know that the time has come when
the surrender must be made, and |
think that when the question is sub
mitted again their consent will be
obtained. was true prophet last
summer when | said they would
not sign-will / hit it again2 l
think l will. But calling them in
grand council and keeping them
stuffed with fat beef for month
will not do the work. People who
knew the Indian character smiled
when they learned how the treaty
was to be effected. They said the
consent would never be obtained in
that manner, and the failure prov
ed that they knew what they were
talking about. The Indian question
is the most serious problem now
confronting our people, and to sue
cessfully solve it demands the wis
dom Of more than ordinary minds.
Commissioner John H. Oberly and
Superintendent Of Schools S. Fl. AL
bro are doing d magnificent work
III this direction, anti have the hear
ty endorsement Of the indian
Rights Association, the Indian De.
Tense Society and oil who have the
welfare of the Indian at heart,
About this time you see Mr.. 1ndi-
an going about clothed in a com
Portable suit of Jeans, overcoat and
all, a warm wooden shirt, a good cas-
simere cap and pair of stogy booss.
Mrs. Indian is gay in her linsey
dress, bright Macinaw blanket and
fancy stockings. please say that
l saw the stockings in the warehouse
and not on the women.) They
didn't buy these things, they were
all ind much more presents from
Uncle Sam. They are what is term
ed annuity goods, and were distrib-
uted about the Goth of December.
Your readers may like to know how
these goods are distributed among
the Indians, and as l assisted in the
allotment can perhaps give you
pretty good idea Of how i. was done.
We know the name of every head of
family and every adult Indian on
the Reserve. We also know the
humber, taig,e and sex Of the childrsn
id each family. After all the goods
have arrived the Agens proceeds to
make his apportionment. The
goods are stored in an enor-
NOUS warehotse, opened and ar
ranged for distribution. The In
dams have been notified Of the
time, and, like the man who 60 to
Court in ofder to get on, the Jury,
they ere all there; We will suppose
the day to have arrived. Every
Agency employeisin the warehouse,
and each man has Lis share of
work. One has charge of the bed
comfortables and blankets, another
the clothing, another the boots and
shoes, another the crockery and
scarfs, another the buckets, axes
and caps, another the calico, shirts
and linsey, another the needles,
knives, and fork, spoons and thread.
There is also present the. command-
ing officer Of the military post, who
must be present and witness the
distribution, All is, ready and the
Agent, census book in hand, calls
,"Bull-on The: Hill"l The interpre-
ter repeats the name in Sioux and
the gentleman with the taurine cog
nomen steps forward. The. Agent
again says, "eneman, three women,
eight children, three boys, seven,
ten and thirteen years Of age, and
five girls, four, nine and fifteen"
The Agent knows what this family
is entitled to, and rapidly calls the
articles. AS they are named the
employ in whose department they
are answers "Here !" and quickly