Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-09

treaty oongaCona
They say that such clothes are provided for
him as he cannot possibly wear, the shoes dis
tributed do not fit Indian feet, the tools
given him are worthless and the food offered
as rations is not fit to eat
Six months ago n government commission
visited the Sioux on the scena of the tronhle.
which ended with the killing of Sitting Bull. In
Its report. called for by Congress last week the
supplies for these Indians found at the local
agency are described as largely fraudulent
w., "n.as 10Y seq was discovered to be only ft
,or hoS iood, while garden seeds of different
Kinds were rendered useless by being mixed to-
gether In bags. Although. According TO thu
treaty, every male Sioux is entitled annually to
one SUIT OF good substantial clothing" only
snE"eight, brown cotton goods, worth el.50
q SUIT, neither warm nor durable. were pro-
vided for wear in a climate where the tempera-
ture reacEes twenty degrees below zero in
winter and terrific storms prevail at al sea-
sons. ihe blankets were underlined, mostly
OF shoddy and dyed navy blue, which quickly
cnanges 70 variety OF reddish tints Shoes,
winch the people could not wear because they
were not the right shape, were made Of the
cheapest material at the least possible cost
oha"is, underwear, piece goods, thread, &C.,
were equally inferior. Tho Sioux do not at
tempt to use these goods, which find their way
In quantities for comfortable coat or blanket,
10 only one package of such merchandise did
a manufacturer venture to attach his name
THE TRADER SYSTEM.
Indians generally complain that the licensed
trader system is a source OF infinite distress to
them. The trader obtains permission from tho
government to do business on a reservation.
No one else but himself is permitted to keep
shop there. he monopolizes all selling and
buying to and from the Indians, charging and
paying what prices he chooses. Goods and an
mn tn, hint,
many months behind hand in distribntion
Not receiving them when thew ara nrom;saJ
the Indians are forced to run into dekt at Tho
''store." Credit, they claim. signifies ,ionbIe
prices. Inasmuch as they cannot read or
cipher they are at the mercy of the trader in
the matter of accounts If moor II vhan ha
has little money buys ANYTHING for the aake
OF cheapness at a neighborin1 town the sbon
keeping vampire denies him fnrtber creSIt
without which he is likely to starye later on
The furs, fish. yenison. wild rice and snaka root
which the unhapnv SAVAGE nrocnr.s IN 's.
sell to no one but the trader at the latter,. own
prices on penaltv Of baving h;s ,ra5;t -
drawn. These articles are sbinnad hv tha
trader to the nearest market and tfs,osa5 - :.
a profit of several hnnJrad ~ ast =. o.
cron the red man can rase :. pnt;,;..s wi!
books of the ..store " the nronr;atp. ~ 10y
is always willing Ia accent n ,nv,man. o,,.h;'
from ponv 10 a red hot stoYo. ~ 90.
"eoodsH prices differ o~' S~'' ~n0
iaA "Hshh'ATioS WORK.
ihere II always good deal Of work to be
done on reservations. This ia performed nv
Indians who ara Maid for Il ON. =, tho 80.
belonging to them in government hand. v.rv
often, 1t is alleged, the agent representing
Uncle Sam stands In with" the trader and
ffha v,ct;,~. a ,"oo. WIN oraers on the store.
upon il. INIT IL ia cla;med IT, ~ .uS
to do 40 for fear of offsndina d. 49, ~notu
has them in his MOVER a. go "no
toned at WasbinCtpn tells ~ . CO.. ,hnt $50.
under his nersonsi obsorv.t;o a.. a. C oanns
River agency in D,kota whara ,h.. ,saoI .ana
took a marx of nloy;ra 80 - no .O.''' Hau u'
back of each ..G"nd e. 20 s@ @u "ioso On Tue
week ON that r.sarv.t;on no S a. .."ue. LWry
and each head of fam;iy co. ~. VII Auieo
cosb In L.; - a.: BY " niue "oFsn 80 IN
card To each ,non a,d a. az ueusr eAse
saw him on one ncc.sinn e Enieel leierrea 70
navmen. for ~. UoI ~ 800 ouen Saru AZ
spoonfni of red lad Snothas w. auu se ga
in preenhacks naid To- 80 .,'ue No ga" Sio
flannel. This trader acted for = ,;rn, hax;n y,
himself nothiny inyestsI ~, : Nm, having
third of the nroSts of tho 80 o'I nv one
was $40 600 year Vet ,bis ,Sa, I'm. ' ~ .t
least nroftabIe aoero;.s . @o o.o "a .ne
population. But ihese th;ndps n.u y; W ~. .ne
good old days.n twenty vas.s ona 49, .M 'n .
Indian traders license wos :, - $3.50 50 .", ~
In view of the ahnses wh;oh =. rune
vail even now the Indians 81 10. -. pre-
they should not he ai,owsJ tha $50 :. s,auins
petitioa They desire Tho, hon,s, IaI,. 80,
be permitted TO enter TIE ra.araat;o's ,S Sna1
tabiish shons. '"''oN' ""~ Cd
RArIoNs AND FARM UTENSILS.
Partly decayed beef and bacon. bogus coffee
and flour OF the sort known contemptuously
as ''red dog" out of which bread cannot be
made, are alleged to compose in large measure
the rations distributed Nv Uncle Sam. Con.
tracts awarded to the lowest bidders, Is is said.
put premium upon Inferior articles. On
the hoof' the arrangement is that one head of
but when understood bceves with no fIesh on
their bones are provided want threaIens E;gb, u
light wagons were required at the White Earth
reservation, Minnesota, in 1879. In RESPONSE
to the demand, eighty emiyraut Wagons WITH
canvas covers-regular prairie schooncrs"M
wero sent. At tho same time several dozen
iron cables, big enough to hold sbins.of. wor
were supplied for OK chains, together with a
large number of cast-iron plouchs. which be;nv
useless for turning UP the hard soil If tho5
region have been rustiug by the roadsid.a QUO.
since. government INSPECTOR to whom on.
peal was made declared thar he ..oncasaJ - ~.
Interior Department knew Whit WAS Rat sos
tho Indians, Tho Indiana exnress di.onn";nt
ment because they do not usunIiv CT ftha;-
winter clothing until the foliowin1 snr;,, -
is not generally realized that nm fna;ar ;.
least as fond of dress AZ the white nan "a
would be glad if his tasto for Color and h,;,h.
mass conld he cons;larai in ,mr.Las;
oarments ;rtcnasS To- he ~ Puio"''sins the