The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-03-07
Get One-Fonrth Of the Indian
Appropr alton.
THEY OBJECT TO CIVILIZATION
The Braves Have Just Had Their Great
Dog Feast. and Are Ready TO
Greet the Great Father.

The nations capital will soon be treat
ed to rare scene. 1t is not as rare now
as 1t used to be, however, for the willy
red man is rapidly acquiring knowledge
about Washington and the things to be
had there. The red men Qndians) will
be the actors in the little drama about
to come off, and it will fall to the lot of
Hoke Smith, secretary Of the interior,
to treat with them, but he has had some
previous experience in such matters and
it is more than probable that the task
OF receiving the children of nature will
be awarded to one of his unlucky as
sistants
The Indians are going to Washington
with a grievance. In fact they have
long list of grievances. They have been
collecting them for year or more, and
some of them are of much older date
Summed up the grievances are much
the same as the troubles of the white
man. They want more of the worlds
goods in clothing, provender or dollars
they don't care which, so long as they
get them. The Indian has an exalted
idea of the Great Father in Washington.
To them he is what their white breth-
rem call an easy mark. BY working on
his sympathy they have solved the
problem of living without work. Astute
minds have been hacking away at this
riddle for generations, but the Indian
has found it easy.
, NOT GOOD INDIANS.
The Ogallala tribe of the Sioux nation
is the particular one which feels III
used. The plainsmen of South Dakota
have no love for these Indians. as they
claim the light of civilization has not
sunk very deep into their hearts. Every
once in a while the corpse of a cattle
man ia found with the scalp stripped
off. The good Indian who is asked about
1t draws his finger across his throat in
a suggestive way. This is a sign indi-
eating Sioux workmanship
The Ogallalas have just had their dog
feast This is the most important func-
ton of the year with the tribe. Two
hundred unhappy CANNES gave up their
lives, and it required 120 iron pots to
hold the questionable delicacy served to
the braves Each one tried to eat more
of it than his neighbor. which is a suf-
ficient tribute to the stew.
This feast took part in the camp of
Red Dog, about 80 miles north of Pine
Ridge agency. This camp is located on
the famous battle field of Wounded
huee, anu nearly every lAuldn VI lull
and mixed blood in the tribe attended.
The eating of dog was only preliminary
to the principal business of the council,
which was to enumerate the grievances
and select half dozen delegates to go
to Washington and see what the Great
Father would do for them.
The most important of the braves met
In big log house where a great fire was
In l,a Of ba
ly 80 pots. in which $40 dogs stewed,
were grouped about the fire. 1t was inn
possible to get the other 40 pots into the
house. and these were hung over small
fires built outside. 1t was esteemed a
great honor by the red men to sit in the
house around the big fire and the so
kettles, but the average white man
would regard the others on the outside
as the fortunate ones
When the dogs had been eaten and
what was left of the feast given to the
women and children the main work Of
the council was entered upon. Red Dog
did what little talking there was, and
the others listened There was on ar
guing or protesting. There were numer-
Gus grunts. but they were of approval.
No cut and dried political machine
meeting ever passed off more smoothly.
If Red Dog had ordered a massacre of
the whites or had proposed that they
massacre one another II would have
been the same.
PROTECTION FOR THE CRIMINAL.
The principal grievances relate to
the procedure against criminals and the
issuance of governmental annuities
The Indians claim that when any of the
tribe transgresses the law Of the white
man he is dealt with too severely. Oft
entimes the white men take the law
into their own hands and deal out pun
ishment too severe for the crime. If
the Indians attempt to retaliate in the
same way they are hunted down by sol
diers and settlers.
They also assert that the government
is too niggardy in its dealings with
them. They want more generous allow
ances and more liberal treatment. The
halfbreeds in the tribe are at the back
OF both demands, and they will con-
tribute the bulk of the money needed
to defray the expenses of the trip to the
capital. They are the financiers and will
reap most of the benefit should the
worldly possessions of the tribe be en-
riched by Uncle Sam.
The Ogallalas are part of the great
Sioux family, which has caused the gov
eminent more trouble and more expense
than nearly all the other Indians in
the country. They regard themselves
as the natural lords of creation. and
imagine that the government lavishes
money and food upor them as a tribute
to their prowess and courage and in
fear of their terrible vengeance.
ARE EXPENSIVE WARDS.