Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-24
The immediate danger OF a collision betwee,

The immediate danger OF q collision between
our soldiers and the Indians il now over. The
time 10 reasonable for consideration Of the
canses Of disturbance and the lesson for the
future taught by it, The letters Of TIE SIAR's
special correspondent from Pine Ridge throw
great deal OF light on the subject. The pub
hshed opinions Of representatives Of nearly
every class Of men Who deal with the Indians
e63cers, agents, inspectors, missionaries, Off
ctals ct washington-havs been spread before
the country. There Is a substantial concur
renee In the opinion that the blame for the
outbreak Is to lie divided between Congress,
shich failed to promptly fulfl the full terms
II the agreement recently made with the
Sioux By which eleven million acres of land
we're csded to white settlement, the executive
branch of our government, which perhaps a. .
necessary result Of the system employed in
dealing with the Indians left them in hunger
and suffering without remedy a: the very open
ing Of winter, and the Indians themselves, the
evil-disposed among whom, like Sitting Bull.
'stook advantage of all these conditions and Of
The excitement inciden. to the Messiah
craze to fonent discomfort until IL
had reached the point Of armed
resistance, robbery and bloodshed." A
great variety Of remedies are suggested.
Congress ought Of course to pass at once the
legislation carrying out the agreements in con-
nsction with the Sioux treaty. For improving
the methods Of handling the Indians it is sug-
gested on the one side that the service be trans
ferred to the War Department.. On the other
side it is contended that civilians should con-
troll, but that in order to secure honest and
competent service Officials placed in charge of
~ \ .,-1$ T~I. IL L.
tected from the importantly Of hungry politi-
clans, and that the employees in the Indian
country, agents, teachers, farmers, carpenters,
should not be changed with every shutting Of
the political cards" More food and fewer fire
Arms must 60 to the Indians. The folly Of
cheating and starving them to breed discon-
tent among those who are easily disconnected
and who are dangerous and brutal by nature,
and Of permitting them to obtain ample sup
plies Of weapons wherewith TO crafty
the gurderous discomfort thus arpused,
IL obvious on its face. Both fair
ness and frInness should characterize
the governments policy toward the Indians.
But the trouble has been not 30 much in the
plan of action as in the practical application Of
It. The policy of leading the Indians on to
self-support, which has been the controlling
principle Of the governments action for sew
sral years, is thought TO be wise one. In
carrying it out Bishop Hare Of sonth Dakota.
who knows the Indians thoroughly, says that
the design has been ito bring the Indians in
from a rowing life and confine them to reserva-
tons; then to settle them on individual and
separate farms; to sell their surplus land for
their benefit and to stimulate them to labor
and self-help by reducing the prod;gaI issue of
rations which marked the REIMBURSEMENT Of
the chase to an amount which would be suffi-
clint. if supplemented by their own essays in
stock raising and farming and other labor, to
keep them from suffering" If such plan Of
action is thoroughly and honestly and firmly
carried out it ought before many years to dis
pose Of the Indian problem.