Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-10-18


to fight the United States. Years ago
the Indians made up great nations. but
now they have gone never to return.
We have got to give up our old ways
and take ON those Of the whites There
are only few Of US left, and we are
herded in like lot Of sheep, so that it
is foolish to go to war. The young men
Of the tribes will never kSow anything
Of war, except as the tales are told by
the old men.
II have never been in Minnesota, but
I hear that up there and for hundreds
Of miles beyond the white men are as
many as the blades Of grass. If that is
80, what can few poor Indians do In q
fight7 They are making great mistake
and are very foolish. For years I fought
the white men, thinking that with my
few braves could kill them all off and
that we would again have the land that
our Great Father gave Us and which he
covered with game. I thought that the
Great Spirit would be with us and that
after we had killed the white men the
buffalo. deer and antelope would. come
back. After I had fought and lost and
after had travelled over the country in
which the white man lived and cav his
cities and the work that he had done
my old heart was ready to burst. /
knew that the race Of the Indian was
run and that there was nothing left but
to submit to the law.
"When 4 discovered that we were
hopelessly defeated, told my people
that we would give up the fight and &C.
cept such terms of peace as we could
get from the whites. While I am q
prisoner Of war and have been for years
I feel that nm better of than most OF
the Indians Of the country. The govern
ment has confidence in me and has ap-
pointed me q scout, which is the same
as an Indian police in the northern
agencies. I expect to end my days in
peace and leave my family something Of
which the members will be proud-a
good name"
When asked what he thought would
become Of the North American Indian,
Geronimo hesitated moment and then,
pointing to the west, replied:
"The sun rises and shines for time,
and then it goes down, sinking out OF
sight and is lost. So it will be with the
Indian. When was q boy, my old f.
ther told me the Indians were as many
as the leaves on the trees, and that
way of in the north they had many
horses and furs. I never saw them, but
I know that If they were there they
have gone now, and the white man has
taken all they had. It will be only q
few years more when the Indians will
be heard Of no more except In the books
that the white man writes They are
not the people that the Great Father
loves, for il they were he would protect
and care for them. They have tried to
please him, but they do not know how.
Schools are good things for the Indian,
but it takes many years to change his
nature. If an Indian boy goes to school
and learns to be like white boy, be
comes back to the agency, and there is
nothing for him to do but put on
blanket aud be like an Indian again.
This is where the government is to
blame. When it takes our children
away and educates them, it should give
them something to do, not turn them
locss to run wild at the agency. Until
trvc time comes, educating the Indian
is t.: rowing II oney away. What can an
cited Indian do out in the sage
brush and cactus?
81 am an old man and can't live
many years, so this don't trouble me
,uuch, but before die should like to
sec the Indians have the same chance
as th, >olored people or the poor whites
There will be no more Zig Indian wars:
The Indians fighting days are over ana
there is nothing left for them to DO ous
to be beggars and live On charity aroma
the agencies, - New York Sun.