The Portland daily press., 1895-08-24
RECORD OF INDIAN WARS.
1t is Nearly Closed Now But the Cost Has
Been More Than Billion Dollars and
Many Lives,
[ From the PHILADELPHIA Times. |

1
The red man, contrary to the general be-
lief in this regard, is not naturally brave,
but constitutionally coward. He fights
behind trees and rocks, usually begins his
wars with the murder of women and chill
dren. He is always treacherous, past
master in all the arts of cruelty, and
never generous to a fallen foe. In no IN
stance has he been found capable of con-
tending on equal terms with white troops,
and the regiments raised by the southern
confederacy among the civilized nations
of the Indian territory were found almost
useless for service against the North.
But the Indian fights when cornered like
a devil incarnate The very Indians who
seem brutally brave in the shock of battle
when compelled to fight for their lives are
at other times arrant towards. The fierce
and warlike Apaches of Arizona, cruel
andEapparently brave in warfare, hide like
| towards at night, and traveller or soldier
is a ways safe from their attacks after the
light has faded away The once dreaded
Brule Sioux on the Brule reservation,
South Dakota, will not venture abroad at
night, and when forced to do SO, will
keep up an incessant hallooing, listening
eagerly for the answer of friendly shouts.
Yet the Indian has done good deal of
fighting with the forces of this govern
ment. More than 40 wars of more or less
magnitude have taken place since 1776.
They are estimated to have cost the lives
of about 49, 900 white men, women and
children, including 1000 killed in individ-
ual combats; and the lives of 80, 600 In
dlans s, 500 of whom were likewise killed
| in private affairs. 1t will be seen that
according to this showing the Indian has
had decidedly the worst of it in the battle
of a continent which he already held in
possession. But the actual number OF
killed and wounded Indians must be very
much greater than the estimate given, as
they conceal where possible their actual
loss in battle, and carry off or secrete their
wounded.
An enumeration of all these wars would
be extremely tedious. Most of them were
of brief duration, and already forgotten
Few of them will live in history, unless
it be in the trucufent pages OF the dime
novelist, surrounded by romantic glorles
that the contestants would not have been
able to comprehend The Florida war OF
1885, which employed over 10000 United
States troops, was probably the most ex-
tensiye Indian campaign which the gov
eminent ever carried on. The most re-
cent ones have been against the Northern
Cheyennes and Sioux in 1851, against
the Nez- Perces in 1877, the Bannocks IN
1878 and the Northern Cheyennes in 1873.
The list ends with the Sioux campaign OF
1890
The number of actions between regular
troops and Indians since 1886 have been
1865 and 16, 900 officers and men have OMAN
average been constantly employed in
Indian warfare since that time In these
actions 140 whites were killed and 430o
Indians.
| All of these affairs have cost Uncle Sam
pretty penny in cash. To determine
excatly the total of military expenditure
which should be charged to Indian wars
during the nations existence is Of course,
| impossible, but a fair, conservative estl-
mate would make this sum more than a
billion dollars The government has also
spent during this time about $3.50, 600, 00(
in governing and supporting these
charges of the nation, and is at present
disbursing about seven millions of dollars.
annually for this purpose. 1t would ap-
pear that it has cost about four times as
much to fight the red man as to pension
him off. Much money migh5 have been
saved had this policy been consistently
adopted in the beginning to say nothing
IF the lives that would have been saved.
| OF the quatrer of a million Indians now
living in this country &c. 600 are citizens
| Sc, 600 belong to the civilized tribes and
the remainder are found on the reserva-
tions of the West. The Indian territory
has one-fifth of the total population, Ari-
IONA and South Dakota together as much
more. California, New Mexico, Oklaho-
ma, Washington and Minnesota also
have large Indian populations, mostly
upon reservations. New York has 5000 OF
the race far more than are found in any
other state east of the Mississippi There
are but four Indians in Delaware and
nine in West Virginia
The Indians still hold more than hun
bred million acres of unalloted land. The
most of this, however, is of the poorest
quality. During 1890 they cultivated
1872, 600 acres of their domain. Some of
the smallest tribes, which chances to
occupy large and valuable reservations,
are comparatively wealthy, and are prob
ably worth moro money per capita than
any other nation in the world.
Seventy thousand of the race wear civil
lized clothing and are in most particulars
not to be distinguished from the American
population in whose, midst they live.
Forty eight thousand more clothe them
selves mainly in the white mans garb.
Twenty three thousand are commune
cants of Christian churches and about tho
same number can read the English Ian
guage. A few thousand more speak it
well enough at least to transact business
About Is, 600 Indian children are now at
tending school