Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-03

porarily high estate, a. others are doing now,
and this thing viii continue in all its wicked
ness until scheming representatives of the Sys-
tenn shall stand before the judgment seat and
hear the words ring in their ears: ''Inasmuch
MS ye did it not unto one Of the least of these
my brethren We did it not to Me-"
THE CROP REPORTS.
Some Of the agency farmers at Pine Ridge
think they have been unfairly treated in the
discussion of their merits and dement's which
the present situation gave life to. Perhaps
that is true. 1t has frequently been charged
that the majority of government farmers pur-
posely overestimated the quantity Of edible ma
terial raised by the Indians under their super
vision, because such overestimates redounded,
on paper, to the benefit of the farmer. That
this has undoubtedly been done cannot be
questioned but it is also apparent that inno-
cent misrepresentation have frequently been
made. According to the regulations-that is,
those regulations which are strictly enforced
each salaried farmer is compelled to turn in his
annual report to the agent not later than Au-
gust 25 of each year, although at that time the
crops have not matured SO as to be beyond the
reach of meteorological misadventure. The
corn may be killed by frost, and it very fire.
quently is; the wheat may be burned up by
drought, as has happened here two years in
succession; the potatoes may be ruined at the
last moment, especially in years when the seed
was not supplied before June 1. At times the
while waiting for the coming of the threshing
machine, the sun, the handling and the black
birds all combining to produce a minimum of
results from a maximum Of labor. II foolish
but iron-clad rule did not require a farmer to
report on the quantities OF grain and vege-
tables raised before the summer is ended or
the harvest is passed there would be more
justice done both the hard-working Indian and
his immediate instructor.
CERTIFICATES OF CHARACTER.
Those who have officially dealings with In
dians should be little more careful than they
have been in the past with regard to the giving
of letters of recommendation. Whenever
commission or a congressional committee or
any thing of that kind visits an agency it bases
lis opinion Of the Indians 1t meets solely upon
the brief acquaintance of a few days and upon the
stand each particular Indian takes as to the
matter that happens to be in process of forma-
ton. Since have been here scarcely a day
has passed that was not called upon to exam
inc dozen certificates of good character, most
OF them emanating from responsible sources.
but in very few instances were the recommended
tlons well bestowed. Two days after the hostiles
agreed to come into the agency and draw
tions (some enthusiasts still refer to it as a sur
render) one of the most thoroughly vicious and
degradedly unreliable of the combatants
proudly presented to my weary gaze a certif-
cate from a government commission which at
Its face value would entitle that Indian to dwell
Will tNe d!lSellc uOst. lnat 1ellOW mas an luea
that the paper makes him worthy of confidence
as soon as each successive outbreak on his part
is over. Once good Indian always a good In
dian Is his argument. but deny that he ever
was good enough to deserve the commentator
which was officially bestowed on him.
INDIAN GRATITUDE.
The truly grateful Indian is a scarce article
Ever since the battle of Wounded Knee the
Episcopal Church at Pine Ridge has been an
Indian hospital. Devoted men and women of
the white race have done everything that
science and common sense and humanity
could suggest to relieve suffering and
to bring about the recovery of those
who had been injured in the fight
and yet the impression left by such continuous
and often effectual kindness is almost imper-
ceptible. Nearly all the wounded have been
taken away from the hospital by their rela-
tives and so-called friends and the chances are
that most of those so removed from warmth and
shelter will die in the tepees for there are six
inches OF snow on the ground. When the hos
pltal was established the quartermaster issued
such OF his stores as were needed, and, of
course. when the hospital was about to be
broken up Capt. Humphreys wanted his stores
returned or properly accounted for.
wounded woman, who insisted on returning to
her tepee, wanted to take away the warm, gray
army blanket which had been portion Of her
bedding. She was told by Miss Shepherd one
OF the nurses, that the blanket belonged to the
soldiers and had only been loaned for a while.
10 this no attention was paid and the woman
was about to take the covering anyhow, when
Miss Shepherd took it from her. There was
murder in the squaw's eyes as she turned and
remarked to one of her relatives: II would like
to stab her." How is that for gratitude?
Another interesting instance has wounded
woman as the central fgures A grea5 deal of
attention had been shown her. Yesterday she
was asked if the conditions had been reversed
would the Indians have been as kind to wounded
white people as the white people had been to
wounded Indians.
II do not know that anything has been done
for me. she said. Il have been here three
weeks and they have only given me one poor
print dress"
Nursing and food and medicine and shelter
went for nothing in her estimation.
CLEARING OUT THE SETTLEMENT.
When Capt. w. E. Dougherty took charge of
Pine Ridge agency (Which he did when Capt.
Pierce was disabled by sickness) he had in his
little kingdom some of the worst characters
that could be found in the country-not only
Indians, but white men and half-breeds Horse
thieves, gamblers, whisky peddlers and cattle
rustlers were very numerous indeed. In the
excitement OF the past month these fellows es-
capped attention on the part of the authorities,
but as soon as peace became reasonably certain
it was decided to clear things up. There was a
good deal OF traffic on the Nashville road for
awhile-it was either that or jail-and now the
settlement is quite respectable. am afraid
Capt. Dougherty will become quite unpopular
with that class of people which delights in max
ing existence burdensome to the civilian Indian
agent but which has no power to worry the
army officer. GEO. II. HARRIEs.