Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-05-07
RATIONS OF THE REDS.
INDIANS WHO RECEIVE Gov
EMINENT FOOD.
The Number of Wards Fed by Public
Money fA- Less than Generally
supposcd-When and Where
Issued aud How 1t Is
Issued.

The Indians are often spoken OF as
paupers, dependent upon government
bounty for the food that keeps them
alive. But there are in round numbers
about 20, 600 red men in Indian Terri
tory. belonging to the civilized tribes,
that do not receive rations from the
government. There are also many
Indians elsewhere vino are self-support-
ing, such as the Pueblos OF New
Mexico, numbering more than 5000;
the Six Nations and St. Regis Indians
of New York, more than 5000. and
the North Carolina Cherokees, about
1900. Then, on the reservations are
many who support themselves by hunt
ing and fishing. by farming, herding,
or horse raising, by numbering and the
sale of timber, and by other occupa-
tons.
In California, for one Indian who
receives ratlons there are ten who do
not; in Oregon and Washington the
Indians are self-supporting; through
the lake region of Wisconsin, Michigan,
and Minnesota the same is true. In
short, out of al Indian population, ex-
Guiding Alaska, of 244. 600 about 1856,
900 are self-supporting. This leaves
only about 5S 600 who receive rations,
or fewer than one-fourth OF the
whole. OF these more than half are in
the Dakotas and Montana.
The next important fact to notice is
that the Indians who do receive rations
in nearly every instance have paid full
value for them, and generally more
than value. They deserve to be called
paupers as much as a man would who
should sell piece of land for SO, 900
and place the proceeds in the hands of
trustees to be invested by them so that
the interest should come to him in the
form of food and clothing. Make the
trustees the purchasers of his land at q
very good bargain for themselves, and
the analogy would be still closer Why
should the Indians under such circum-
stances be represented as receiving
aims? Thus queries the New York
Sun. which continues as follows:
Still, every year the question comes
up whether the ration system is not
really at best q makeshift which should
be abandoned at the earliest practicable
moment. The annuities furnish an
opportunity for a great deal of swind-
ling, which has frequently been
utilized.
Reliance on rations no doubt tends
to keep up the idle and lazy habits tC
which the Indians are by nature in
clined. The periodical issues of food
do not even teach them frugality, since
they feast and are wasteful just after
ration day, and perhaps go hungry
before the next distribution. The gov.
erNment makes matters worse by it,
wretched system of giving out The
rations, which is often at long interval:
and at a single central agency. Tbs
consequence is that those who attemp
farming may have to leave their crop.
uncared for and their stock INTENDED
while the long journey to and from thu
agency becomes u picnic, arriving
home perhaps to find the crops in
discouraging state.
Indeed, so primitive is the Olficia
q machinery in regard to rations that Il
some agencies such as AnadarkO an,
, Darlington, the habit according t,
, Commissioner Morgan, is still kept VI
of issuing live cattle, so that the In
dams may chase them over the prairi
G in imitation of the buffalo hunt o
! former days, amid the bowling of dogs
and when the poor beasts are shot, tn
, squaws are allowed to do the work @
butchering, while the children look on
Perhaps some day substitute TO
4 the present system may be found il
the establishment of several sub agen
g cies instead of single central one
+? each provided with store in whic
t food and clothing can be had. and wit
shops for blacksmithing, carpentry
= and so on. These could be manage
4 by the Indians themselves. and annui
ties could be paid largely in money i,
q stead of goods, and without the nee
|, of long journeys to get it. Then. wit
:. more facilities furnished for work on,
p side the reservations and for market
q ing their products, the present annllit
a and reservation system would gradual
: be changed. The Indians might sti
: have their head money or individus
pensions. but would no longer max
n these an excuse for life OF idlenes.
a Meanwhile the evils resulting from TIL
!. bad quality of goods and from injurior
methods of distribution shonld be col
h rected.