Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-18
SIOUX WAR REVIEWED
By Gen. Miles and the Causes That
Led to the Indian Revolt.
FAILURES OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The General Recommends the Massing Of
the National Guard
DURING THE CHICAGO WORLDS FAIR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE annual re-
port of Major General Nelson A. Miles,
commanding the Department of the Mis-
souri,, is mainly an historical review of the
Sioux War of last winter, its causes, epi-
sodes and results. Among the causes that
resulted in the Sioux outbreak, he men,
tions the gradually increasing poverty of
the Cheyennes and Sioux; the insufficiency
of their rations issued by the Government,
and the failure of the crops in 1889 and 1890,
and the inability of the Indians to emil
CRATE to other parts of the country.
He quotes at some length from reports
made by General Ruger, Commanding the
Department OF Dakota, to show that the
disaffection OF the Indians at Standing
Rock was to be attributed to several fail
ures Of the Government. Of the Indians at
Pine Ridge much the same thing was
said by General Brooke in a report dated
November 80, 1890 Very nearly a similar
showing is made in the report in regard to
the causes of the dis abstraction among the
Indians at the Rosebud and Cheyenne
Agencies and among the Yanktonnais, the
general tenor of their complaints being that
the Government had failed tosprovide sufi-
cient rations.
THE MESSIAH CRAZE.
General Miles writes thus about the Mes
siah craze: "Thc fanaticism and supersti-
tion of these people we're taken advantage
Of by their disaffected and designing lead
ers to encourage them to assume hostilities
toward the Government and white people"
The record of the outbreak at Pine Ridge
follows in an interesting narrative Gen
dc @ha o1r ,rie ,of
Captain Penny as acting Indian agent at
Pine Ridge, and says that through addi-
tional appropriations the Indians now re-
ceive nearly one-half as much more than
they did year ago. In concluding his re-
marks on the campaign, he said:
Notwithstanding the fact that the volcano
has cooled down, the fires of discord are
still burning. Even while the hostages were
at Fort Sheridan they received conmunica-
tions from their friends in the Sioux camps
stating that they had not given up the con-
spiracy OF a grand uprising of the indians,
and that the Utes were ready to toin the
Sioux whenever they were ready to resume
hostilities.
STILL PLOTTING A WAR.
Communications have been going on be-
tween the different camps, melting the In
dians to hostilities, and even now (the re-
port is dated September 14) there is u dele
cation from the Indian Territory absent,
ostensibly to visit relatives at the Arapahoe
and Shoshone reservations in Wyoming.
They have, in fact, gone across the mount
aims, and arc now in the abodes of the sup
porters of the Messiah delusion, near Pyra-
mid Lake, in Nevada.
During the months following the serious
disturbance of the peace, the confidence of
all has been restored. Many OF the settlers
have gone back to their abandoned homes
and ranches. and the Indians have resumed
their accustomed occupations. The affairs
are gradually adjusting themselves after
being in q state of transition for q long time.
The days of large holding of land by the In
dians in common will eventually cease, and
the Indians take up land in severalty.
MILITIA AT THE WORLDS FAIR
As we approach nearer the time of the
Worlds Columbian Exposition, the most
important affair of the kind that has ever
been held In the world it would seem ndvis-
able to take advantage of the occasion to
mobilize or assemble what is known as the
National Guard, or Senate militia.
The Constitution has very judiciously and
wisely reserved the control of these forces
to the various State Governments, but as a |
means. to promote the efficiency Of the vari- |
ous organizations it would be well to as
ment, with the approval and authorii V OF |
the various State Governments. in one Ma |
tional encampmentatl least once in genera |
ton.
As there has been no gathering Of that |
since the armies were dispersed |
in 1865. would respectfully recommend that |
the militia be brought together at this peace |
jubilee. Most of the members of the Ma
tional Guard who are engaged in the great |
industries or the country will desire to
be present at the exposition at some time |
during its session, and many of them would |
prefer TO come with their organizations in
order to combine with the encampment the
benefits of the exposition.
WOULD HELP THE MILITIA.
1t would also be beneficial to the State or
ganizations to be brought together in one
National Encampment, where they would
have the advantage OF meeting troops from
other States. For instance, these of New
England would be placed alongside of those
from the Gulf and those from the Atlantic
and interior meet those from the Pacific
slope, making one grand encampment of the
citizen soldiery of this country, where
patriotism and the spirit of emulation would
prompt each organization to attain the
highest degree of excellence.
As the General Government makes yearly
for the equipment of the
militia, l see no reason why it should not
provide transportation for assembling it in
the encampment above proposed. The rea-
sonable reduction of rates in other countries
for such movements OF troops, and ire |
Iuently given in this country, would reduce
the aggregate cot, say for $4,000 State troops
md 10000 Federal troops, to $3.50, 600 approx
nately.
For that purpose 1 would respectfully
that Congress be asked to make
The necessary appropriation and to provide
5he requisite authority for such move