The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-08
Commissioner Morgan Sets Forth
Reasons Why 1t Should
Not Be Done.
Indians Would Immediately Buy
More Arms and Be In Bad
HumOr.
ExpOsed tn the MurderOuS yen9sance Of
Marauding Cowboys--The Enlist
ment of 1000 Indians.

WASHINGTON, March 7.--Recently Gen,
Morgan, commissioner OF Indian affairs,
was requested by the secretary Of the in
terror to give an expression of his views
upon the communication of the governor Of
South Dakota urging the disarming Of In
dians In that state. In reply Gen. Morgan
states: "The reasons for disarminR the
Indians are obvious and weighty, viz: To
prevent them from going on the war path
and to quiet the fears of white settlers in
their vicinity. If thought there was really
serious danger of any considerable number
OF Indians going upon the war path. or that
the surest way of preventing any Indians
from becoming hostile was to disarm all,
should be very slow to interpose any obieo-
tion to the measure. If l felt that white
settlera were in serious danger of attack by
Indians and was convinced that their safety
demanded the action above suggested, /
could not we'll resist, but so far as my
knowledge extends l can hardly believe
there is now any serious danger from an
Indian uprising. I believe the Indians to
be. for the most part. inclined to peace and
averse to war. They are sufficiently intelli-
gent to understand at what fearful disad-
vantage they would be in war with the
United States. They know our vast re-
sources and are conscious of their own
weakness. Moreover, many reasons which
have existed among them for discontent
can be, and by congressional action just
had will be. removed. The settlers in the
vicinity of the reservation have been fright
ened. and not without reason. And yet
during all the excitement, and in spite of
bitter provocation, the Indians have not
attacked white people in their homes, nor,
SO far as l know, have they seriously threat
ened their peace.
''Those who have been or are really hos
tile should unquestionably be disarmed
and their leaders severely punished. But
during the late trouble in Dakota the great
body of Sioux were friendly, and the inno-
cent should not suffer with the guilty. To
make no distinction in the treatment Of
Indians who took part in the hostilities and
those who remained loyal, many Of whom
suffered for their loyalty, would be an act
OF Injustice which the Indian is as quick to
recognize and resent as the white man.
1T would be great hardship to thes,
Indians to lose their arms, which they
greatly prize. They use them in slaughter
ing their cattle, IN hunting, and in sport.
1t ls with some hesitation that say, and
say it only after careful deliheration and
with sincere sorrow that it must be said,
that l greatly fear the Indians would not
be safe, either in their persons or in their
property, if it were known they were en-
tirely without guns for self defense. Re-
cent sad events in Dakota, where it ia said
women and little children were shot down
by soldiers of the United States army, and
Others We're ambushed and slain without
provocation by citizens, have shown us how
pitifully defenceless these poor creatures
might be if wholly unarmed and un-
able to protect themselves. To dis
arm the Indians generally, and
leave the whole body of Sioux
smarting under sense of helplessness and
wrong. would tend to produce among them
widespread feeling of irritation, unrest
and distrust disastrous not only to the
peace and prosperity of the Indians, but
liable in itself to bring about the very dan
ger which disarming is intended to prevent.
For, should the arms they now possess be
forcibly taken from them, there is nothing
either in the law or the habits OF the people
surrounding them to prevent them from
arming themselves anew at the earliest op-
portunity by purchasing from the whites.
"For the prevention of further trouble il
seems to me necessary to treat them Justly
and kindly; maintain among them Il we'll
disciplined, suitably paid. vieilant, Indian
police force, and, lastly, to keep at exposed
points a small garrison of troops, sufficient
in case of great emergency, to aid in main
tanning order and protecting both Indians
and whites