Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-06-12
Thursday Jure II, 1890.
AQUE,TIoN OF RESPONSIBILITY,

communication from III army officer
now stationed n the Cheyenne agency,
in which he reviews the history Of the
Cheyennes since they have been in
this country, and argues from the
army standpoint, the rights of the In
dian. The communication IL ably
written, free from perversion of fact.
and richly instructive to the phi an-
tbropi-ts Of the east who, for some
years past have directed the policy u
the Indian department, but while the
writer aims 10 strike NJ the root of the
evil, he misses it by one notch. IL j.
no news TO the people of this 10 atty
that the Cheyenne Indians have beer
unfairly treated for years past in being
denied the quantity of food necessary
for their subsistence, nut il Lieut..
Robertson had gone beyond the In
dian office at Washington to ascertain
why this continued injustice was done
these Indians he would lave found
the cause il the reports made to the
commI--ioneg o Indian stfiirs when
the Indians we're in the charge of the
5th infantry, tn the effect that by the
tilling Of the soil. aui other Efforts on
their part, they were rapidly becoming
self supporting, and would in a short
time, CalV avs a short time become
wholly We will not say that
these rarOrts were wilnll misrepre-
sensations 81 existing facts though the
testimony Of unimp, arhable witnesses
who lived among the C~heyennes dur
ing this whole time can he pro iuced
to show that ia no season has the
tribe proioced enough to keep them a
month. Ii il well known IN this COM
munity that the 9Th infantry felt a
more than ordinary interest in the
Northern Cheyen1es. They had con-.
quered them, and with a p%,rdopable
pride. desired to keep them in their
train rs prisoners OF war, This feeling
undoubtedly induced the officers Of
the 5th. who were from Time to time
placed in charge of the Indians, todis.
count their anticipations of the future
In their reports Of the present. Had
II not been for this. the actual condi-
ton of the Cheyenne Indians would
wears ago have been understood by the
Indian department, aud measures for
the relief adopted. Lieut.. Robertson
refers to appeals made by Agent Up
shaw for such relief, but it il su.cepti.
bic of proof that long before Agent
UpshaS came to this country the citi-
Gems Of Miles City forwarded like APP
pesls 10 the Indian office, setting forth
the true facts n they then aud have
ever luce EXISTED. but In the face oi
the glowing reports OF progress In sg-
riculture and stock raising that was
being made by the Indian. according
TO the statements of their military
spon-"rs, these appeals were uDdoubt-
eddy treaten AS emanaiing from a mer-
ccna y source and no attention paid Ia
them. During all these Years the
Chpyennes have subsi-ted In great
part off Of the stock 0f the settlers In
their vicinity. Not educated In the
science of economy. II NJ Indian felt
hungry he killed a beef steer, and
moving on, when banre's pang,
again as.ailed him. he killet another.
His harder was ley empty, and be-.
cause of the bouBtiful provision made
for him by the struggling pioneers OF
the country he had but It'll. fault to
find with the b~sggarly assistance doled
out 10 him by the Great Father in
Washington. IL Is u fact that since
about lSSl the most strenuou. efforts
have been made from time t. time by
the citizens Of Custer county h. Undue,
the Indian government to issue tt
these Indians u full ration, to the END
that their d~epredations IN the liv,
stock interest may be sensibly dimin
shed. but withou: avail. A. an 10,
stance of what this slaughter of stoch
amounts b. we cite the case Of a rang,
stock owner IN the vicinity Of these
Indians writing to his associates In
business last winter. With no object
to be gained by falsifyiug matters. hi
wrote: "This has been the best win
ter for stock that / ever experienced
Tin this country, but I fear that ouI
''lo.ses will be larger than ever before,
sowing to the continued depreciation.
cot the Indians" The Indians are
not wholly to blame. Lieut.. Robert
son claims 1t is the Indian department
that lies under censuro, but we think
that when the charge i brought home
10 the department ii will formulate a
defense In form somewhat rs outlined
Ia this article.