Los Angeles herald., 1890-11-22
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER sa. 1890
THE LATEST PHASE OF POOR Lo.

THE LATEST PHASE OF POOR LO.
An immense amount of sympathy has
been wasted upon the aboriginal tribes
of the United States. They have been
idealized and poetized about until the
brains Of most people have been con-
fused as to their real characteristics.
The work begun by Cooper in his types
of the old Chief Tammany and Uncas
and his father-a work almost entirely
of the imagination, and with scarcely
thread of fact to rest upon was con-
tinued by writer's in prose and poetry,
who went into maudlin ecstacies over
such Indian heroes and orators as
Tecumseh and Logan. There had been
a lull to these fervid fancies respecting
the Indian until Mrs. Helen Jackson
took up the theme in Ramona, and gave
us, in the person of Alessandro, sort OF
companion picture to Cooper's Uncas,
differing in color and treatment, but
with the same filigree claim to reality.
Just now the settlers in the neighbor-
hood of the Rosebud and Pine Ridge
agencies are in deadly fear OF mutilation
and death, and death in the most horrid
forms. There does not in this case, as
has often happened in the past, seem to
have been any allegation of recent in
Justice on the part OF the whites. There
is report that one of the new Indian
agents is inexperienced, but that is in
the natural order OF things. One Indian
agent must often be replaced by another.
These officials, are liable to death or re-
moval, although the instances in which
they ever resign are few indeed The
hostilities, if any shall be reported, will
undoubtedly have emanated from the
aborigines, and without provocation.
1t is pleasant to note that in the cur
rent trouble the military authorities
have acted with decision and dispatch.
According to the statement OF General
Miles, as given to the reporters of the
Chicago press, in the three or four hun
dred square miles embracing the scene
of the threatened difficulties, there are
about six thousand Indians and an equal
number of United States troops. This
is reassuring presentation OF the mat
ter. The proportion of cavalry in the
government forces seems hardly large
enough, as there are said to be only
three hundred mounted men. But there
are thousands of hardy settlers, who will
gather around the troops. and who will
ride their own horses, and exc out the
government supply of those useful ami
mails. In such collisions as the present
the army officers are at great disad-
vantage. Behind them is maudlin
public sentiment which forbids them to
strike until they have been struck, and
they thus lose the great force of the
first blow. They must hold their swords
in scabbard until the savages have
swooped down upon some unfortunate
settlement and wiped it off the face OF
the earth. The dilettanti humanitarian
OF the eastern states looks with perfect
equanimity on the massacre of white
men, women and children, but the mo-
ment the hair or hide of an Indian is
harmed his grief becomes something
pitiable to see. OF the issue of the con-
fiict, if it is precipitated, there need be
no reasonable doubt. There will be no
more Custer massacres. Gen. Brooke,
who commands the department of the
Platte, has the reputation of being a gal
liant and meritorious officer. The sacri-
fee of two such heroes as Custer and
Candy was enough to devote to placat-
;au tho aocfarn spntimant
Those who are disposed to look upon
the romantic side of the Indian char
acter will find themselves slightly en-
barrassed by the names of the principal
chiefs who are spoken of in connection
with the late disturbances. 'Sitting
Bull' is supposed to be the prime mover
in the troubles. One of his principal
iieutenants is "White Gut" ''Young
Man Afraid of His Horses" still another.
''Steps the Cripple seems to have his
oar in the stream of narrative which
reaches us from the seat of war.
''Hump Rod" seems to be happy at the
head OF three hundred braves of the
s'Two Kettle" band. Altogether they
are a lovely set, and their names cor
respond very charmingly with their acts.
The difficulty in the present emeute is
entirely different from any reported from
any field of Indian strife in the past.
The warlike Sioux and his fierce COM
patriots have gotten a notion in their
heads that a Messiah has arisen, who is
to exterminate the whites, restore the
Indians to their old ascendancy, and
people the regenerated country with
countless herds of buffaloes. This is a
very seductive picture, and it is we'll cal
culated to make the aborigine don his
war paint and start up the ghost dance.
The idea, however, is altogether too sub
tie and refined for an Indian brain, and
the suggestion has been made that in all
probability it owes its inception to some
scheming Mormon. Long and close con-
ncction with the Indians has given the