Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1890-12-05
Discussed in the Senate in q
Sligr tly Acrimonious Manner
by Senators Van Voor-
nees ano Pierce.
Congressman Carter Preparing a
Bill for the Donation of Desert
Lands to the State.
Discussing Poor Lo.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-Iu the sen-
ate to-day, Hawley. from the commits
tee on military affairs, reported end
ssked to have put upon It's passage q
joint resolution authorizing the secre-
tary Of war To issue arms and ammu-
nition to the states of North and
South Dskots.
Manderson moved 10 amend 1t by
also including Nebraska and referred
I, the threatened uprising of sioux
Indians on their reservation there.
Voorhees, said that II the proposition
was one 10 issue 100, 900 rations of food
TO the starving Indians 1t would be
more consistent with christian civili-
za,ion. Major General Miles, he said,
had stated in public interviews that
the Innians We're driven to revolt or
into savsgery by starvation and II
was, In his judgment, an inexpiable
crime on the part If the government
to stand silently by and do nothing
except TO furnish arms to the whites.
lie criticized severely the manages
meut OF the Indian bureau.
After some remarks by Hswley and
Dawes, Pierce said that he had some-
times wondered that the white people
in that region did not themselves 20
on the war path because they were
hungry. An Indian seems to get
hungry a. well a. noble, the further
people get away from him, (laughter).
He (Pierce) lived within few miles
of the great Sioux reservation.
Voorhees-Does the senator suppose
that Gen. Miles does not know better
shout Indian affairs than q citizen Of
Dakota?
Pierce-I an nearer to the Indians
than Gen. Miles. I have no doubt that
in SOME of the agencies there are In
dians who complain Of insufficient
food. But I do question very much
whether Gen. Miles made the state
ment attributed to him in the news
papers. Iftbe senator from Indiana
were starving and had a Winchester
rifle, I venture to say that he could get
q barrel Of -four without any trouble
The trouble with the Indians is that
they are fed and clothed and allowed
to live on the bounty Of the govern.
mept, and that, therefore. as an old
adage says. ''the devil fiuds mischief
still for idle hands to do" I appre.
hepd that you might take the same
number Of white people and put them
on reservation and feed and clothe
them and take care Of them, and that
in less than six months they a'so
would 60 upon the war path. I hope
that the joint resolution will piss.
VOORHEES, paid high compliment To
the soldIerly and other good qualities
of General Miles and said he would
take bis statement far sooner than
that of the senator who lived near the
Sioux reservation and who with his
pc ,ple) wanted to get the Indian lands
a. soon - possible. One was q reliable
ofi,cer. the other was fox lying In
walt around where geese were. watt
Ing to get some Of them Qaughter).
The discussion had not closed when
(the hour Of 2 o'cloc% bsving arrived
the vice president laid before the sen.
ate % unfinished business" the elec
tion bill, and Senator Turpie took the
floor In opposition TO II. At the con-
clusion Of his speech the g. nate nd
ourned.