New-York tribune., 1891-02-08
THE SIOUX HAVE THEIR SAY.
IN CONFERENCE WITH SECRETARY NOBLE.
JOHN GRASS AMERICAN HORSE. TWO STRIKE
AND OTHER CHIEFS MAKE sPEECHEs-THE
SECRETARY SHOWS WHAT THE GOVERN
MENT HAS DONE FOR THEM.

tay Noble and the sioux Indian delegation was begun
this morning at the Interior Department The secre-
tary Of War and Mrs. Proctor and Miss Proctor were
present and also the wife Of Secretary Noble ana Miss
I Halsted. Miss Dawes. Miss Kate Foote'
Miss Alice Fletcher and others prominent
In the work for the Indians were interested
spectators. The conference opened by secretary
Noble who said "The Secretary is here to tell you
that he has kept his word, but, II there is anything
more he do through friendship for the sioux. he IS
ready TO do II. lie /, your friend and the Great
Father has told him TO be your friend
The Secretary then asked If the Indians had madc
any arrangements about speakers. lie added that II
objection was made he would hear from John Grass.
! Hollow Horn. Bear American Horse. Two Strike
Hump and Young -Man-Mraid of His Horses. John
Grass forward the Rev. c. = Cook. the Episcopal
minister at Pine Ridge. acting aS Interpreter Grass
Al began to speak of the recent trouble among
the Indians, the origin Of which he did not know
Tho Indians lie said did not desire to be driven back
| to their Wild life but wished to consult with inc
President so a. 10 determine upon the future lie
protest against the practice of blaming all Indians
! for what was the fault Of few. Ths Indians be
evcd that II they were honest in trying to put their
children into schools, and If they followed the teach
incs Of Christianity they would be going the right
road. The Indians regarded these as important
factors and they also thought IT desirable that the
agent, should be civilians rather than military They
desired a continuance If the present system IN thiS
| respect. I'm speaking Of his own reservation tha'
Of standing Rock the threatened trouble had been put
! down by the Indian police. They believed in the
| Indian police and he requested to ask for an
Increase Of nfty men. Grass then SHOOK hahds "lth
| the secretary and took his seat.
American Horse was the next speaker. lie as
PLAYED considerable natural ability. and made grace
ul preface to his remarks. referring in complimentary
terms to the Secretary and the ladies present. He
then asked II the secretary thought it good to cur
tail the speech Of who had something 70 say -
that he did not have chance to say all that he In
| tended. This question created somo laughter ana
the Secretary replied that he thought short speeches
wei'. the best but he desired him to say all he wished
10 saw American Horse said that he hal cndeavored
o ea-n tc orgin of the late trouble, and in his search
! and Investigation he found himself In Washington lie
then went on 10 speak Of the importance OF TINS city
| As a trcaty-making centre. and GRADUALLY ht"d Htl
"A discussion Of tie subject proper. HH protested
against being cas,ed as a hostile and the secretary
| assured him that he was not clasSci. American
Horse eald that the Indians at Pine Ridge through
the destruction Of their property. had been put DacN
fifteen years. and that the Indians desired to nave
these l9,sc, made good. The government ne 'fu'
had made mistakes I'm their attempts to cViIi|e to
indians Instead Of the offices at the agencies Do''s
| filed hv Indians white crowded thrm oui anu
| ,o,k THAR nlocos What his people wanted was a
chance 70 rise and I'LL the place, OF trust ana con
sequence that were within their Tach. lie uch 'I"A
Of religious matters. and said that there Weic '"''0
religion, bodies on their reservation who were Trying
,o leach them I, live better lives and especially to
bring about religious marriages. But they u'n "o'
want to be compelled TO marry certain persons
! Tho secretary inquired who had sought 70. o'hpei
,tc,n IA marry American Horse replied that ne re-
ferrcd more particularly to persons who elop'h' N"e"
o courlc we're brought back. the agent obliged them
| 10 get married. - ,, 80.
The speaker then asked that the losses suffered oy
III, Indians IN the late disturbance h' hau' gun ~
| Tho Coyernmert lie urged that remedy for So"i
| - ~, ,,,. ,,,..cnt tr .iillcs would bc for the GOV
crrnont 10 20 back 10 the treaty Of ISIS and redeem
Some Il tbc promise, then made. lie favored the "
noval Of the carlisle school t" the West
Young Man iifali .of lis llorsc> said he "a' mucn
uca. ed tp meet oyer, body, and then went on 10 ii
his service, In tine Interest Of harmony during te iA'
,,t f., .i.. ,,,nr.c Il hi, Introductory remarks
no said he had brought his people into camp ana INH
turned I'm their arms
How many ,~ qucrlcd the secretary. and The orat 'T
was somewhat nonplussed. lie knew the iNal "a'
small and he dd not care 70 say. The secretary re-
moved t,,c embarrassment by bidding him to proceed
i'm his own way and then founs Nan NFa'u 'au I'
hoped the Govcrum,ut would not Only edu'a'e UT
children but would also give them somcthng to de-
when they finished at -'h,oL
Two strife was next called for. The WHY "'u
warrior did not want to say mncl' but his manner
wa, vigorous lie Acknowledged th1t there hhd been
trpuble hUt tlat gore. l' llih HitN' pow WIN
General Miles. had turned In hl' arms ana no" 'i"
come 10 report to the Gre1t Father
The next speaker wa, Hump He called attention
10 the fact that he had flrmed At Cheyenne River
for three years and had no crop a'd ior '' rc''''
he wanted the rations increased and continued
High Hawk Ogallalla, told with a loud voice NJ"
earnest he had always been for peace His principal
comploint wa, a, {, tho dividing line between th'
zine Ridge and Rosebud agcncc, the line had caused
much trouble ana he hoped it woud be removed
| Then Hollow Horn Bear. Brule from Rosebud
Agency secured the floor. ono man, he sald, rei'r
ring 10 the affair at Wounded Knee, wanted to hght
the Others did not lie told Of some of his pe'p'
who were badly wounded, ANA charifcil|cu INC w"
duct of the military cruel.
Hollow Horn Bear then asked that those ihdlai'
who had lost property during the late trouble hlHh
bc reimbursed. and went Into financial matters il
connection with old treaties. More scho)hoh'c' M
been promised aud he hoped they would soon be b"'l'
Medicine Eull then talked through Interpreter '"'>
From hi. uttcrances evident that he always mac
been, was now and would be In perfect a''of'
with th, Indian 'rolcy Of the Government
! secretary Noble then poke " The Indians III
Indian must not be discouraged. lie W0uid De sup
ported as long ~ he cndeayored 70 DO Wel' lhcI
were two sides 10 the question Of what WAS cue u"
Indian and what dnc from the lndlin. - "l9i
to speak about these things in friendly spirit 81"
he. wish TO tell the Sioux what the "overimen
has done for them and | wish 10 tell them from boo
written by their friend. Miss Fletcher, aN To what a
been done for them. Up Ia 1854 the sioux nave re
ccVcd ~, ,OOOOOO from tho Government. Inc Coy
eminent aclnow cdgcS it, treaties ana agreements VIZ
ihc sioux since l--i, when tis money was pin
there has been much more money PAID, according "
the treaty. A.. ,.....
The secretary then quoted statistics as to the Issue
TO Indians. The school, that tne lhulanc "a'l'o, @
had been kept up AT all Of these agencies ah
} Industrial schools such thci wanted hau as
been established at Pierre, ana another Sc.oo Los
would be- put up at Flandrtat. Farmers iIlu per
hcp; a the different agencies to show the S''uA nov
to farm the land The sioux were ohN snti
pnu of the Indians Of the United states ana man
other tribes needed legislation. The wltc pcopIc az
wanted legislation. Congress had actru upon mo no.
filings a. r,pdiy AS other pupc business "Oiiu pe'
nit. The Legislature h.d acted and me sonN Mou
g.t thr hcucht The bill was approved on Januar!
10 %, II was A mere accident that 100000 ha
i~cr rrt or tbc sioux appropriation Immediately aftc
. the agreement with General crook. A., ,,, !.
Tr conciusion the Secretary advised the Indians u
think over the many things the Government nae