The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-08-16

free, unlimited range for his cattle in the
finest uplands and most luxuriant valleys
in the West.
The White river, In the southwestern part
of South Dakota. is, i'm part. the northern
and on its banks are the ZONES of most of
the squaw men. Here the vegetation is the
hickest and most nutritious. and over the
hills Craze thousands of well-fed, sleek,
ccntented cattle. the property of the squaw
men. They have made their homes here.
miles from civilization. He can enter no
land as his own on the reservation. When
he wishes to make a home he simply asks
a favorable location near water and there
builds his house and corrals. BY permit OF
the Indian agent at Pine Ridge he may
fence in eighty or one hundred acres near
bis house for his cows and horses. In most
cases the house is the regulation log.
chinked with mud, and sod roof. Some have
board floors and others with no floor but
the natural earth. Yet there are several
squaw men who nave built neat frame cot
tages and several log buildings for farm
and stock purposes. although there has
been no attempt at farming whatever.
Stock raising is the quickest and surest
road 10 wealth. Farming has been tried.
but it is not a success, as crops are too I'M
certain. The few acres planted in corn this
spring will yield nothing but fodder
EASY WAY TO E RICH.
Why shouldn't a man acquire riches un-
der such favorable circumstances? Every
two weeks his wife and all his children,
mother-in-law. father-in-law and all his
wife's other relatives draw from the gov
eminent an average of one and one-half
pounds of beef on the block per day. Ev-
cry month there is an issue of one pound
OF flour per day to every man. woman and
child. or the equivalent of one pound of
four in beans. sugar. coffee and salt. Then
there Is the issue of clothing by the treaty
of 1865. which does not expire until 1899.
In 1900 the government will have to buy,
at so cents per acre. the unsettled portion
of that part Of the Sioux reservation coded
in the agreement of 1889. The $4,000, 900 I'm
cash. paid for this coded land. i'm 1883. is
drawing ) per cent. interest. and when the
government buys the several millions of
acres in 1900, as agreed. at 30 cents per
acre. the Sioux Indians will have near sl0,-
600. zoo drawing interest at 5 per cent. per
annum. which will be paid to them in cash.
and other ways best adapted TO their adj
vancement. Seventy-five thousand dollars
is distributed annually among the Sioux
and $1,000 is expended annually in the
building of schoolhouses, this being the In
terest on the $1,000. 900 paid for the coded
lands in 1889. The squaw mans family
comes in on all these benefits as full
blooded Sioux. The schoolhouses are built
on different parts of the reservation.
wherever thirty pupils can be found 10 at
tend. Government appropriations also COW
err the whole expense of the Indian schools
in the East. In fact. the squaw man has
everything furnished him at no expense,
while his stock Is growing and multiplying
on the surrounding hills. The families are
| always large. 1t is no uncommon sight to
| see eight or ten children under the age of
fifteen in one family. Every child of the
| age of two weeks or more is registered in
the nearest Indian farmers book, and is
entitled TO full rations.
With the fcrtnightly beef issue and the
monthly issue of food there is no Keeping
the wolf from the door," as experienced by
our early pioneers. Here there is a sure
thing of enough to eat and wear.
for the half-breeds receive the same
as the full-bloods. Yet the squaw
mans benefits do not end with
merely food and clothing. the agreement
OF 1889 provided for the distribution of
twenty-five thousand cows among the In
dams and half-breeds, 10 give them a start
in the cattle business. And there Will al
ways be this twenty-five thousand cows
as they can. under no circumstances, be
sold. They are branded II. d." this being
the brand of the Indian Department.
When these COWS become too old TO bear.
they can be taken 10 the nearest Indian
farmer. who Will exchange them for young
breeding COWS, and the old COWS received
are used in the regular beef issues. AL
though none of the II. d. COWS can be
sold, yet their calves become the personal
property OF the Indian or half-breed and
are branded IF. o. F." and also with the
Indians private brand. That the Indian
may nave a near market for his Fl. o. F.
cattle, the government buys. each summer.
from the Indians. giving the same price
that Is paid for the cattle hat are used i'm
the beef issues. This summer the price Is
$3.50 per hundred. Last year it was sl27.
ana next year IL will be s2.4O on the hoof.
Precautions are taken by the Indian De-
partment 10 prevent INSCRIPTIONS white
men from cheating the Indian out OF ev-
erything he has. All horses and cows issued