The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1894-11-10
EARNINGS OF THE INDIANS
Poor Los No Longer Poor, for He
81 Money Maker.

''Poor Los No Longer Poor, for He Is
Money-NIaker.
There are about I75, 900 Indians outside
the five civilized tribes, and they earn
about Sl,000.000 a year from the United
States Government alone. OF this thew
receive about $250,000 tor products of In
dian industry. But Uncle Sam is not
their best customer. They make nearly
100000 from the sale of their products
to others. And they earn great deal be-
sides by the transportation of freight and
by day labor of various kinds. The Gov
eminent pays them also Sl5O 900 year
for cutting and banking logs. There is
an Indian police which draws more than
100000 year from the public treasury.
Indian employees at agencies draw $780,
600 year, and employees at Indian schools
almost as much. Farmers and inter-
prefers and Judges of Indian courts are
the other Indians on the Government
payroll.
Who would believe an unauthoritative
statement that band of Indians contain
ing less than 200 men and women made
$3.50 in single year cutting and
banking logs? Yet that is what the
Menomonee Indians of Wisconsin made
in 1898, and they could have made more if
the Government would have permitted
them to cut more timber. Their surplus
energies sought an outlet in the cutting OF
this occupation was denied them because
it was found that some of them cut green
timber for the purpose, contrary TO the
department regulations.
The Navajos, who got their first stock
of sheep from the Spaniards in Mexico
by appropriation, are now the owners of
1,250,000 sheep and 100000 horses and
mules. The Sioux and Northern Chey-
enne Indians at the Pine Ridge Agency,
the scene of the last Indian outbreak, are
the owners of 1851 cattle and 1914
horses and mules. Even the Apaches at
the Mescalero Agency in New Mexico
the much-feared Apaches, the terrorS of
the trail, as "Old Cap Collier" would
probably call them ii he was writing this
story-own 100 cattle and make seventy
five pounds OF butter during the course
of the year. The entire aggregation of
Indians under Government supervision
and control makes about 100000 pounds
OF bntter In a year, owns 205, 600 cattle
and hauls 25,000,000 pounds of freight in
year, with 800 900 horses and mules. At
the Umatilla Agency in Oregon are the
great Indian farmers. They market Co.,
100 bushels of wheat alone every year,
with total male population of sos and a
female population of COG. The female
element must be taken into serious con-
sideration in an estimate of labor, for the
redskin has not abandoned the idea that
The New York Indians are taking up
agriculture now, having been through a
farming experience. The ST. Regis In
dams, about 1000 in number, derive a
revenue of So, 900 year from the sale of
Indian baskets. The Indians at the Neah
Bay agency in Washington devote them
selves entirely to fishing, and make S20,-
600 by that work. But as rule, the chief
revenue-of the Indian tribes is derived
from the sale OF lumber and agricultural
products and from freighting. Much OF
their produce is sold TO the Government.
The Sioux Indians OF South Dakota sell
more than 100000 worth of wheat, corn,
oats and barley TO the Government in a
year; the Sioux Of North Dakota sell $780,
600 worth to the Government. This is in
addition to the $50, 900 worth of produce
sold to outsiders. The Mojave, Yuma
and Apache Indians at the San Carlos
agency, in Arizona, sell $4,000 worth of
goods, chiefly agricultural, to the Gov
eminent, and 0,000 worth to outsiders.
Washington star.