Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-02-22

he an exaggeration, but not very great
one, for the Devils lake Sioux are the
remnants Of certain bands which have
the reputation of having been 'mighty
bad Indians"
Not quite mile south of the southern
bend of the lake stands the well built
Fort Totten, from which hardy regulars
have gone on expeditions against the
Indians when the mercury was 30 degs
below zero. "A little nearer the lake il
the village, comprising the residence of
Maj. Cramsie, long the efficient agent of
those Indians. the other houses and shops
OF the agency, the store. hotel and United
States signal service office. Maj Cram
sic is among the best informed men in
the nation on Indian affairs, and his in
telligent wife (herself boasting trace of
Indian blood) is an efficient Interpreter
and devoted friend OF their dusky wards.
Half mile further north and on ridge
rising rapidly from tho lake Is fine
Catholic church and large school and
boarding house, in which ten sisters of
the order of Gray Nuns of Montreal
teach the young aborigines.
And if one wants to hear the three
typical views of the Indian question"
in all the purity of plain language, in
spired by enthusiastic conviction, he can
hear them ut these three adjacent cen
ters. At the fort and agency store, hotel,
etc, he can get the straight western
view: Good Indian, dead Indian, etc.
II the tourist insists on debating the
matter he will hear some philosophy like
L., 4 a
the same species; SO are the dog and the
wolf-anyh they will cross But
the dog will guard sheep and the wolf
willkill them. Maybe these lnjuns could
be civilizcd-in long tmc-but they'll
all be dead before the timc comes"
At the school Sister Page" or "Sister
franklin" will tell the visitor in musical
French or choice English that their
charges arc most promising; "the only
trouble is when we get through with
them they have TO 90 back to tho smoky
and dirty cabin. oh, tho government
ought to see to it that more help is given.
There is no need of soldiers and fort
hero now. All those pretty buildings
ought to be made into an Indian home.
Then we could educate every boy and
girl on the reservation, and start them
in life able to work at u trade and make
Il good living. We long to do the work,
asking only room and rations-it is our
life work-if the government will only
give us tne 'hahce'
MAJ. Cramsie takes practical mans
view OF the matter, VIZ: "Ihe Indians
are Just rs capable OF being civilized as
any other race Dut. IKE any other, they
must take 'ine' Inc impatient Ameri-
can cannot wait-he wants u all done IN
TWO or 'hfee years. 90 tue ihuiahs are
h'ing ID ,'Sht log houses ana haven't
YET learned now 10 hve III them They
are "orhing ana learning put under SO
many uiiiicu'''es tnat IN haif the cases
ny ,ne 'i'no man mas mastered farming
ne o'es Oh lung aisease'
~ 'ines oi plenty the indiin stiii ex-
hip''s the ehlid'sh ,rus'iuiness OF the
na'u'ai man. nc h'ilprseds oiteh appear
IN TINS respect even more improvident
than the Indians. Their dances, feasts
and social life are picturesque and pleas
ant; but they do not "keep the wolf
from the door" in winter and tin,es ~
scarcity Aho,t ,ho rnaa lna nah;ns IN IN
,,,h;,h -. . a. n,;,, g.,
m'i'o' 'iios' oi 'he DeVhs lake oioux
hVe ono may sec much suffering any
winter; for there is great deal Of scrof-
ula and pulmonary disease among the
half civilized, who have lost, or been
compelled 10 give nm. all the habits az
wild life and h,,a no, ,a,, aoa,';uaa
new ones ms winter the suffering Is
terrible. The poorly clad and worse fed
women and children shiver about the
cabins, while the men are away in the
woods, chopplng for mere pittance.
Much has already been done in rpsponse