The morning call., 1890-12-04
THE INDIAN OUTBREAK.

The news from the seat of the threatened
Indian war has been so confusing that few
persons have formed a clear notion OF the
facts. \ one, unless 1t be the military au-
thorities at Washington and Chicago, has a
clear idea of the extent of the danger, OF the
number OF Indians involved, or OF the real
causes of the outbreak. 1t is vaguely under
stood that certain Indian tribes inhabiting
the unsettled plains on the Upper Missouri
are either on the warpath. or prepar-
ing to take the warpath that other Indians
in Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado are in
active sympathy with them, and in the event
OF success would probably join them in the
field, and that General Miles. who CON-
mands the department, is engaged in con-
centrating troops at menaced points, and
expects 10 put down any outbreak in short
order.
OF course there can be no que stion of the
power of the United States to crush out an
Indian instruction. But it is not we'll that
the Government should be compelled to re-
sort to force for such purpose, or that II
should lnaugurate hostlities in which num-
bers of Indians will be slaughtered and
many settlers be butchered in their homes.
Ii our Indian policy leads to no better results
than these, II is time it was remodeled.
Humanity revOlts al the thought of con-
tlict between an enlightened nation of sixty
three millions of Christians and few vaga-
bond Indians. who have never risen above
the level of aboriginal savages.
General Miles, who knows the Indians
better than any one else, saws that the cause
of the outbreak is religious deusion act
ing on the minds of starving men. 1t ap-
pears that the rations which have been
earyad Ia tha Indians IN ti,a rasarvatipns N
South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana have
been insufficient and irregularly supplied.
| If this is true there has been neglect some
where Tie people of the United States pay
| literally to support the Indians in comparative
| idleneSs on the reservations; there is never
any objection to the appropriations for that
object, no matter how large they are. No
department of the Government is treated
with such large-handed liberality as the
Indian Department. If the money which is
voted does not reach its destination, so that
| the recipients of the nations bounty are
| stinted in their food supply, some one is so
| much at fault that before we make war on
| the Indians we had better begin by making
war on the abuses.
The religious delusiOn to which such fire..
| Quent references are made in the dispatches
| is familiar to readers of Scboolcraft and
| other writer's on Indian affairs. Imag ina
ton has always PLAYED an active part in
Indian life. All the tribes are devOut be-
levers in future life and in world OF
| spirits. Among many tribes the belief that
the Great Spirit would overthrow the whites
and restore the Indians and buffalo to iheil
ancient pred0minance is firmly cherished; il
is belief c'gnate to the expectation of q
coming Messiah which is held by so many
Asiatic and African tribes. AT times, here
on this continent as in Africa, the delusior
acquires such force that its victims are i'm.
PEELED to acts of violence. The warrior:
work themselves up to insane excitement by
war dances and war songs. When the fit i:
on they are capable of any deed Of deviltry
With such mental disorders it is not the
province of the Government to deal. They
may safely be left to wear themselves out
But so long as there is chance of their cul
miDating in overt acts, and it seems possible
that the advent of the Indian Messiah may
be heTalded by scenes of outrage and muir
der in the border settlements. it devolves Oh
the cavalry TO enter the fl Id of controversy
and to see that the medicine men and the
dancers keep on their reservations. That j.
the work in which General Miles is now ell
|