The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-14
NOT PROPERLY MANAGED.
Condition of the Cheyenne Indians on
the Reservation-The Allotment
Plan n Failure.


Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Washington, Dec. 10.-The condition
Of the Indians on the Cheyenne reser,
walton has been brought to the atten-
ton Of the Montana senators and con-
gresham, and a strong effort Will he
made to secure some Improvement. Let
ters have been received by these gem
tlemen from persons who are intimate
ly familiar with the situation on the
Cheyenne reservation. One of these
communications Is from County Attor-
ney Porter of Miles City, who lives near
the borders of the reservation, and whose
views have much weight with the SEN
ators and members who are interested
in the subject. In his letter he goes
into quite an extensive review OF the
condition of the Cheyennes. He says;
mo man can go among these Chey-
enncs without being profoundly I'M
pressed with the fact that they are not
properly managed or cared Tor by the
government of the United states and
their condition ought to receive inn
mediate attention at the hands Of
congress. My own conclusion Is that
if-as reported from Washington-they
will have to remain where they are,
they should all be removed from Ton
que river and placed within the
bounds of the reservation originally es-
tablished for them"
He also suggests that the reserva-
ton should be fenced without delay
in order that their own stock may be
kept ON and that of the white man
off the reservation. He does not in
clude the stock of white settlers who
are residents on ranches within the
reservation in the last suggestion. or
these he says: "rhese settlers control
good land and have 1t improved, and
| most of it already has bitches and
proper facilities for irrigation. one
| gentleman estimates that sci, 900 would
be fair compensation to these settlers
for their lands and improvements.
| think his estimates are reliable. After
| the Indians can have the use OF these
| settlers lands tsomething like 800
| acres). they viii have immediate IA
/ ciiities for raising plenty of hay to
run 1000 CATTLE
The correspondent says the most SER
ious problem To he considered about
the Indians is giving them some oc-
cupation. 1t is idle and sheer folly. he
thinks. to settle them upon aliotments
| as farmers Those who are on Tongue
| river were placed there on allotments
in the hope of inducing them to be-
| come self-supporting. The result has
been a complete demonstration of the
4 fact that 1t was mistaken policy
| There were about 30 to 30 families 81
them placed on Tongue river, far re
I moved from the control of thell
| agent" he continues. The result has
been that instead of adapting them
/ selves to agriculture. they have mere
| liz camped and in their idleness anc
| lack of supervision developed eontln'
ued acts of lawlessness.
He suggests the establishment Of al
industrial school for the Indian chill
dren, but believes 1t should be remote
from the reservation, say. at For
Keogh, ON two sections of land tina
! til ca
far from the reservation that the chill
dren would not be under the influence
of their unciviizsd parents. and still
close enough To visit their homes II
vacations. He believes the most i'm
portant work of the school would b.
to teach the Indians that they ar
really under the control of the gov
eminent
aAt present" he says 1.-THE averag
Cheyenne Indian does not realize ina
he is under the control of any power
A large part of them have in thet
tepees carhines or Winchesters. ampl
ammunition and struggled whisky,
Captain Stouch. the agent has ah
solutely refused to make an effort I
take these arms away from the In
dams and he has never brought sin
gle criminal prosecution so far as
know against the men who have bee
smuggling whisky into the reservatio
! and selling il TO the Indians The ma
! who will place a firearm in the hand
I 7 of these Indians. or permit 1t To y
there is certainly an enemy To th
people who reside ON or In The Vtcir
J itv of the reservation, and the govern
e ment ought in justice Il the Indian
as wei as to the white people 10 tai
these firearms from the Indians. An
a prosecute and punish the men vi
q have supplied them with both fir,
arms and whisky
O. The Cheyennes. to my mind. a.
= really a noble race Of Indians. and
G they are not debased and degraded 1
- the neglect of the government OF i
e failure TO manage them so as TO prote,
r them from the vices of civilizatiu
r win become a civilized people y,
d Immediately because IL is impossible
e take an Indian so or 40 years old
10 elder. who has killed several whi
: men. and ever make him q really. civ