Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-06
THE INDIAN CRAZE.
How the Live Indian May He Made . oeed
Indian.

r
Indian.
To the Editor Of TIE Evening star,
While many opinions have appeared and
much special information from the field has
been furnished and interesting colloquies have
taken place in the Senate. il Is dificult mat
ter, apparently. 90 get az the fun cause OF the
present phase Of Indian troubles. According
to some overwise observers. Who deem justice
and humanity TO be mere terms OF sentiment
tality, and some persons who have a longing
for land" and more direct interests. the Indian
Is always in the wrong. and, moreover, he 10
always in the way. II Is evident that they think
the Creator made q mistake in placing the In
dian where he il. or where he principally WA
and q so-cslled Christian nation has used the
mistake 90 advantage and cheated and swindled
the simple-minded red man with effrontery and
persistence that make one ~ the most amazing
chapters in the history Of civilization
whether the present menace of the Indians n
the result Of being cheated and starved or not
II can be shown that ninety-nine times ont Of q
hundred when they have resorted 90 violence
they have been stung 90 II by outrsges that
have few parallels In the history Of the world.
DEvILrsE TREATMENT OF TIE INDIANA
is II any wonder that there should be mae
sacre OF whites when white men have surprised
camp OF Indian women and children. the men
being on hunting, and after committing out
RACES mat would make a cannibal shudder,
have drawn their revolvers and ''pliuked" the
babies crawling on the ground and the mothers
who wildly tried 90 shield them. TIL a hundred
were lying dead. A. the case near Tucson.
Ariz, few wears ago? Some Of the greatest
massacres by the Indians in recent years were
preceded by occurrences similar 20 this.
Can one marvel az their discomfort when thar
are ruthlessly driven from their homes which,
by ties and associations. dear 90 them az
ours are 90 US, driven like cattle and diving like
sheep on the wav. taken into reserys-
tions unhealthy and unsuited 20 them, 20 make
lands?
Is their lack Of confidence a matter OF sur
prise when the government makes solemn
promise 70 reimburse a tribe for a valuable
tract Of land which they and their ancestors
have held and titled for ages, and which. heart
broken. they vacate. some OF them insane by IL
TO find that not a 1.-THE Of the promise is 90 be
fulfilled, and that they have been made out
casts upon the earth?
BY treaties as solemn as legal and impressive
terms could make them the government has ac-
knowledged that certain lands belonged 20 the
Indians, and has entered into compacts Of the
most sacred character 60 make payment for
them Many, II not most, OF these treaties
have been utterly disregarded. Nine times out
OF ten the government or the white people,
have been the first TO violate the treaties and
nine times out of ten the Indians have been
faithful 10 them. Innumerable reports Of the
governments own agents can be cited in proof
of these statements and thousands more cases
that make up the blacklist chapter in our his
tory.
The recognition of Indian tribes as nations
and making treaties with them may have been
great mistake; all the same that was done
and and u Is Morse than puerile to plead an error
In the present difficulty Senator Manderson
suggests with apparent pride in lite supposed
novelty that the Indians
PONIES SHOULD DE TAKEN
from them in exchange Cor oxen. Well. some
thing like that has been done. In 1876 Gen.
Terry took 2, 200 ponies from the Indians OF the
Cheyenne River agency. Dakota. and all their
guns and pistols. The ponies were sold for
about $40 900 and all the Indians got in return
was IL $50 worth of cows. The expenses OF the
transaction. which were charged against the
Indians, were nearly SIS, 900. And the action
of the government in the matter was direct
violation OF the treaty made with those
Indians.
Thousands Of instances OF outrage and dis
honesty on the part of the government and its
representatives and the white settlers could be
named. Every fair-minded man who goes
among them. every one who has not been
seized by an unholy longing for their lands,
secs these things and knows them 20 he true;
and with a reasonable degree of courage will
avow the fact. in spite of rotorts in reference
to sentimental feeling" and sympathy at long
range.
The Indian is untutored. Every one knows
who knows anything that he has not acquired
the talent to cope with his sharp white neigh
bors, and that IL is q difficult matter with his
limited means and opportunities 20 become
self-sustain!ng. Nevertheless the almost uni
form testimony Of the agents il that they are
all making commendable progress. In the
meantime great nation, with all its power, its
shrewdness and appalling dishonesty, has taken
such advantage of their simplicity " would
bring the blush to the cheeks OF the train
robber,
The teachings Of some Of the Representatives
OF church denominations among them have
been that Christ. the Messiah will come again,
and consequently there has been easy progress
to the present craze among them. People Of
the great nations of the world. from the cru
sades with their cruelty, barbarism and almost
incredible fanaticism, have exhibited glaring
instances of mental alteration In this and
similar matters. And yet. when badly taught
remnants OF humanity, abused and outraged
beyond endurance. indulge in such a craze
they must be made good, that Is, exterminated.
IL is q notable fact that army officers who
have had most to do with the Indians, who have
been compelled to make war upon them, to re-
duce them to subiection, have given testimony
in their behalf Gen. Miles rciterates his state
ment that the main trouble il that the Indian
will not starve to death peaceably. echoing what
has often appeared in formal reports to the
War Department.
The solution most desirable IL not dificult.
II is be honest with the Indian, he humane.
Let us be true TO our agreements IL It takes the
treasury. To this end Congress should include
the power TO carry out the provisions Of q
treaty or compact with the authority 10 make
it. With honesty and humanity, with more
schools, such as those at Carlisle and Hampton
and others on and near reservations with pc
thence and charity, il will not be long before
the live Indian viii be q good Indian.
JEROME BURNETT.