The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-24
THE RED MANS MESSIAH.
Speculations as to How the Latest
Craze Originated Among
the Indians.
Possibly q White Man may be
Personating the Looked
for Person. 4.
What the New Doctrine Offers to Those
who Believe in tho Outbreak
Expected.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.--While the war de-
partment, guided by the opinions OF Gen.
Nelson A, Miles. commanding the division
of the Missouri, and Gen. Thomas II.
Kruger. commanding the department OF Da-
kota, does not look for that general Indian
uprising which some of the settlers fear, it
keeps watch on the peculiar excitement
now prevailing among ths red men Of many
tribes from Montana to Arizona.
How the notion of the arrival OF mes
siah for the Indians originated it ia difficult
to say. Early this year it was found to be
rife among tbs Northern Cheyennes Of the
Tongue river reservation. Porcupine, one
Of the medicine men of the tribe, declared
that ho had visited this messiah,
Who was white man, and was biding his
time among the mountains. Major
Carroll, First cavalry. who had been sent
out from Fort Custer to the Cheyenne
agency. found TINT the Shoshones and
Arapahoes of the Wind river reservation
had substantially the same story. Then
Agent Mclaughlin and others reported
that the frenzy was raging on the great
Sioux reservation at Pine Ridge, Standing
Rock and Chey enne river. Il IL even said
60 extend southwark to the Utes and Conn
HnCleS, ana Zen. nAlIGS uuO0 tAht bhAtGen
trit es are under its influence.
Possibly it had its rise in the dream or
telusion Of some Indian. and was taken
up BY the medicine men Of the various
tribes in order to perpetuate their influence.
But it is generally thought that white
man is really personatinR the messiah for
tho red race, and this supposition gives
to Porcupine and others 1T least
that merit of sincerity Of beliof which
would help to account for their success in
spreading the new doctrine. Since in 9TH
or communities crazy men sometimes have
similar decisions. it is not difficult to sup
pose that some hermit and lunatic in the
mountains may imagine himself to be the
messiah for the aborigines. while 1t is also
conceivable that other white men may have
undertaken to duplicate the Original
prophet, so as to furnish supply equal to
the demands Of all the tribes. At one time
the abiding place attributed to him was the
Piegan reservation, but it ID now supposed
to be somewhere in Nevada.
Whatever the discre pancies in the &C
counts, they strongly suggest that the de-
fusion il connected with some curious per-
version of the religion taught by tho mis-
sionaries. 1t ia not difficult to understand
how phrases denotinR that the red men
were entitled to a messiah as much as the
whites. that the Christian religion would
furnish compensation for any woes or
wrongs suffered by the Indians, and that
the doctrine of the second coming OF Christ
ia taught in the:Bible, might be curiously
misunderstood so as to be applied to the
present delusion: Stu, since the teachlnes
of the missionaries have been going on for
many years. we must suppose special
cause for the resent manifestations, either
in the delusion Of some influential Indian
or in the lunacy or knavery of some white
man impersonating the messiah.
BE this as it may. the new doctrine offers
a veritnble golden age to the red men. The
whites nre to be buried deep in the earth;
the buffaloes are to return IN enormous
herds, with tho antelope and wild horses, |
and the alleged discovery recently OF Few
buffalo in their old haunts has been bruited |
about ns an evidence that the millennial era |
ia near at hand. There are dangers and
penalties for Indians who refuse to believe |
this optimistic religion, while one OF its
leading doctrines ia that all dead Indians
take the room ON earth made vacant by the
humiliation of the white race. In order to
bring about this happy state of things !
the Indians are required to industrionsly
make medicine and to carry on the ghost
dances, which many Of them are doing
II will be seen. therefore, how strongly
such doctrine may appeal to the Indian
race. IL is stimulated, too, by some Rriev-
ances, the Northern Cheyennes, the Sho-
times complained OF a lack Of food, and the
Sioux that their purchased lands are occu-
Died before the price is paid. 1t appears
also, that in different tribes there is more
or lesa addition of Christian doctrine to
this new delusion, perhaps in order to make
it more acceptable to some 1t appeals no
less to the chfonically restless of the red
mon, and has eagerly been taken up by
Sitting Bull and other inveterate enemies of
the white race. The medicine men find in
il a new source Of authority, enabling them
to prophesy what their tribes want to hear.
There are good reasons, however, for not
expecting an Indian outbreak. One is that
in Dakota and Montana. whore the deluson
il chiefly found among the sioux and
Cheyennes, the winter season is already at
hand. and the Indians could not undertake.
acampaicn. Another 10 that this messiah
himself is to accomplish the various miracles
spoken of; in fact. some of the prophets de
clare that they have received insti notions
not to modest the whites. At Fort Custer,
Fort Yates Fort Meade and other places
ample precautions have been taken to move
troops in any desired direction. But prob
ably when as months go on the expected
apparition does not occur, the Indians will
gradually renounce their delusiOn. Per-
haps in the reaction they may be more
ready to give up faith in the medicine men
who have so often deceived them and to ac-
cept the methods Of civilization.
FIRE SPREAD BY NESTS.