River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-08-15

ChAlhMAN fOSiEh. year figured on IL
10000, but that was owing to a mis-
apprehension of last years commits
sioner. BY the terms OF the treaty Of IS
we were 10 obtain the consent OF three fourths
of all male Indians over Is years There are
$4,000 Indians on the reservation, and $500 of
these are men. So you see, that merely the
clerical work OF obtaining signatures, had all
been willing, was not little.
The Indians are inclined to run about a
great deal, aud this gave US a vast amount OF
trouble. At no time did we have the requisite
three-fourths at any meeting, believe but we
would do the best we could with those present
and leave the rolls with the agents. AT other
times the agency rolls would be found imper-
feet and new and unheard-of In
dams would turn up after we
thought we had the thTee-fourths
consent The opposition we met nearly every
where was generally easily overcome, except al
Standing Rock and Pine Ridge agencies. The
first Of these is Sitting Bull tribes headquar-
ters. II is wonderful what regulations some
Of these lazy, dirty and insignificant Indians
have in the East. Sitting Bull is known
everywhere. On the reservation he is one of
the most Insignificant of the chiefs"
of the country Chairman Foster could not
be induced to say that the prospects for the
farmers were, the best He said:
1T is certainly good graz ng country, and
some OF it is good for farming, but on the
WnOle IL Is Delt5r LOT grazing purposes.
Cattle can be fatteued throughout the
winter and it is just the country for sheep.
Seventy-hve per cent. of IL. possibly
should say all of il is good grazing land; but
personally, 1 am not impressed with the coun-
try as agriculturally inviting"
What VIII be the effect of the opening of the
country the Indians"'
II only judge from the past Tney have not
been farmers or cared for the advantages OF
civilization, but of recent years they are grad
ually accepting both. Many OF the old bands
are broken up. At Santee three fOurths OF all
the Indians signed their own names: they
wear our clothes and draw rations. They
have already practically reached the stage OF
self support. The Riggs Industrial School at
This agency is a model Catholic schools are
found al all the agencies; the girls are learn
ing to sew and to cook and the boys are rapidly
learning trades There IS also day school in
each camp. The sale OF the land will put the
Government in a position to greatly help
the Indians, but it must be with tbs
aid OF tho best agents. l am convinced
that the Indians capable OF being greatly
advanced, and with proper work think tribal
relations would be extinct in one generation.
These agenc, es are no place for mere Office
seekers, ard when appointed the agents
should be gwen full responsibility and power
to select their own ads. l think we should
give them schools and plenty of them, and
that any school OF the agency is a mistake.
The educating must be done among them"
Chairman Foster says the reports of thou
sands waiting to enter the new district are
exaggerated "A number are congregated
at Chamberlain, but not thousands tn NIX
the country should be surveyed this fall
and opened next spring / do not believe
it can be opened before that time"