Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-02-17
More Land For the People.

More Land For the People.
There is much to be pleased with
in the opening of the Great Sioux
Reservation. 1t means not only that
an immense territory of 10000
acres, in a region of surprising fer
tility, hitherto idle and obstinately
held in ldleness, has at last been
handed over to the people for houses
and farms, but it also means the in
auguration of a new Indian policy.
Until President Harrison's proclama-
tion bore to the multitude of home
seekers encamped on the east bank
of Missouri River the welcome news
that they might cross into the prom
ised land, this vast country of the
Sioux had been held to no advantage
whatever, but to their great loss and
hurt, by band of $4,000 savages.
In the length and breadth of this res
ervation these $4,000 Indians had
"a, 100000 acres, more than 1000
acres for every man, woman and child
in the tribe. These vast tracts of
country were originally assigned to
the Indians that they might have
hunting grounds, but for a genera
tion no game larger than jack-rab-
bit has been IN existence south and
east of the Y Yellowstone, and the only
effect of big reservations has been to
give the wilder Indians an opportuni-
ty to shut themselves away from civ
ilizing influences. This effect has
been especially noticeable in the
Sioux, of whom there are, at least,
$4,000 benighted savages, as wild
and almost as fierce as they were in
the days when they roamed east to
fight the Chippewas and west to raid
after the ponies of the wealthy Crows.
An immediate end is to be bro't to
the policy by which the country has
been so heavily taxed in order that
barbarism might be perpetuated. The
country will spend the 81, 100000
which has been annually squandered
on beef and blankets for these Sioux
in means to make them self-support-
ing. Schools, and plenty of them,
will be provided in their villages, and
their children will be compelled to
abandon their filth and their fetichism
at least long enough to learn to speak
English and to plant corn. AS rap
idly as possible each family will be
placed upon its own farm, and the
laws of the land will prevail over the
authority of the selfish and ambitious
chiefs. The government has dealt
literally with the Indians in the
treaty arrangements by which their
domain has been reduced. For the
land relinquished they will receive
$40, 100000 and every Indian family
that chooses to accept it will be en-
titled to farm of 32O acres and tools
with which to work it. In addition
to this, and in consideration of the
friendly and sensible conduct of the
Sioux chiefs, the government has
wisely promised to purchase the prod
uce Of the Indian farmers and to in
troduce number of agency reforms.
All this is hopeful of better things.
Already thousands of settlers are en-
camped upon the new lands, town
sites are being laid out, and within
another year a railroad will be run
ming from Pierre to Deadwood, and
wheat and corn will be growing upon
soil that has slept since the creation.
AS quickly as may be, the govern
ment should address itself to similar
progress in the Crow country. Here,
dlOuS Tie 1 6llOWSCOue anu 1HS Dig
Horn rivers, 2,3OO Indians are hold
ing 100000 acres of the best land
in Montana, 900 acres per Indian !
The Crows are much better prepared
for reforming influences than the
Sioux, and even more in need of
them. The Sioux is malignant and
unwilling to work, but not because
he is naturally inactive. On the con-
trary, he is full of energy and scru-
pulously continent. The Crow is a
gentle creature. tractable and easily
trained to agricultural labor. But
he is immoral, thievish and lascivious.
The work of placing Crows upon
farms of their own and of breaking
up their tribal relations has proceed
ed much further than has similar
work among the Sioux, and by op-
ening the reservation, with ali the
new conditions that follow In the
train of settlement, this tribe car
easily be induced to lead useful ant
creditable lives.