St. Landry democrat., 1891-01-31
ook at Both Sides.

Since IL led 10 the gay lndt Is urio
Ella Wheeler WilcoE
Look at Both Sides.
It ia IS foolish to declare that, now that
he government has provot alton, IL shoulo
-x.erm,nate the Sioux, ss 1t Is to take part
Nth the pure sentimeDtallsts and say th"Ir
.,ecause the red men were in possession OF
ne country When the whites came, the
rnverument has no right to coerce thelh'
One hears both opinions expressed Cu'' Oh
me- street, the former is the more com
non. The question involved IS not one d
.bs,racl ethics but Of applied common
sense. Conditions have been created
through Influences good or bao, "blcn
make the Indian de pendent upon the Will g
man for control as we'll as for support. IL
is the duty of the United States to see
hat rs wards are not permitted 10 suHof
md that they do no mischief. 10 allo"
he Indians TO suff0r; to break pledges, re-
-ndiate contracts and withhold payments
,olemnly rromi-ed. willie asserting that
The ONLY good Ind an is dead one Is 10
,tsnd convicted OF that worst OF onenses-
he bad faith of strength toward weak
,.ss And vet. tvan under these condl-
lions even when the lndlsn is driven by
starvation. due TO tho neglect OF the gov
.rnment or its agents, to take the war
oath. be must not be permitted 10 plllage
- murder aud lis lie must be the forfeit
# he refuses to submit 81 the Injustice
f rday causes the hoods shed OF TO-
dav The government must be just ana
nonest with the Indians and then insist
upon their submission; see that they are
I'd and clothed then We can control them
With the confidence which comes OF
pledges kept.
Tie following letters, recently received
n this city, throw some Interesting l'gu'
on the suite The first is from I. d
Tihhalls. who writes from Pine h'ose
Agency: 49,, a.,
t;ons issued to tie Indian women,
weighed. lii q short time he returned and
| msde the following report
IN, k the rations to the butchers shop
and mt the bacon on the scales. They
indicated four and one-half pounds
took the bacon off and laid it on again
| This time the scales showed one and Ole
half nounds. aud when took the bacon
/ off the scales they went back TO the one
half mound mark and STAYED there.
Tie -four is not weighed but guessed at
| In one sack. issued to three persons
| have found flour enough TO make an Or
binary nan of biscuit. and this WAS 10 las
for seven DAYS. In another sack ISSUED tt
Eve n4rsons, | found what would be fall
ratiops for that number for foir Gays
The more Investigated tho mere won
der how them Indians managed to live a
all during the last year when they oni,
received half the amount
There are camped about this agency
6OOO Indians, in little canvas 'epe.s
many of whom have rot lived in tents 10
wears They fed from their homes, upoE
the order OF tbs government, orlnKint
nothing but the cIt Ties upon lnelr bach
q blanse ct and few cooking utensils
Their deserted houses have been 1aldet
and everything they owned destroyed
They are in a desolet- country where N
food of any kind can be ob;alned excep
these insufficient rations. Inc chi'oFei
are dying, they shiver in the colo ana pa
tien,ly wait. The grass is all eaten OF
and the hungry ponies wander over tn
barren hills. Yet tbs government owe
these people millions, some OF lt]uss oeo'
due for more than thirty years.
Mrs Tibbslls, better kno IN as "brigh
Eyes" the educated lndian girl, send
these words: .,
Gen. Miles has asked that all tn
agencies where this trouble has been goinj
On be placed in command OF the milltar'
He has named Certain officials we'll Know
for their capacity, knowledge of lndla'
character good judgment and kirdness
heart who can fill these places. am tn
only Indian speaking to the puollc throue
the press for the Indians, AMI l demand II
the name of the race and for their weiis1
that 1t shall be done. | ask AL the inois
societies in the East, the Woman lIdia
Associations and Indian Rights As<ocia
lions" to press this demand on the presi
dent.
There seems to be no necessity for com
ment. much need as there is for consider
ton.