The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-01
INDIANS AIR THEIR WOES
CHIEFS FROM THE LOWER BRULE AND
ROSEBUD BANDS HEARD
Complaint to the Commissioner of
Alleged IlI-Treatment From the
Government and From White Set
tiers Living Near Reservations
Money the Root of the Evil.
Washington Bureau st. Paul Globe,
Corcoran BUILDING.
Special to the st. Paul Globe.

Special to the st. Paul Globe.
WASHINGTON. D. G. Jan. o1-At a
council held this afternoon between the
commissioner Of Indian affairs and q
delegation from the lower Brule and
Rosebud reservations, old Two Strike
was the first speaker for the Rosebuds,
but HolloW-Horn-Bear made the prin-
cple talk. He said he considered slips
an acre not too much for their land
ana thought the government ought to
pay them directly and in cash, instead
Of making them look to the lower Brule
tribal treasury. He also complained
that the government did not protect
the Indians enough from neighboring
white cattlemen and had not given
them the breeding mares, wagons, har-
ness and farming implements to which
they were entitled.
Stern ploughs were issued, he said in
cases where Indians should have had
breaking ploWs. Horses that were flea
bitten were pushed off upon them in
place Of good stock. and wild horses
just on the range were given to old
people or little orphan children, who
were unable to control them and when
these horses escaped and ran back to
the old range it was a dead loss to the
Indian owners. If better horses could
not be given to helpless members of
the tribe, they had better receive cash
with which they can buy more useful
things.
He also urged that children born
since 1893, when the allotting began,
should receive allotments and that
heirs Of adults who had died during
the same intervals should inherit the
allotments of deceased Indians. He re-
minded the commissioner that the gov
eminent was in arrears in two annuity
payments and that some of the COWS
In the 1000 head Of cattle to which his
people were entitled had never yet been
issued. He concluded with a plea for
water supply on the dry parts of the
reservation.
swift-Bear. He-Dog, Good-Voice,
Sky-Bull, Black-Wolf and Reuben
Quick Bear spoke in much the same
strain. QuiCk-Bear asked to have wells
sunk at each corner, common to four
sections Of land. where the Indians of
all four sections would have an equal
chance at the water.
OF the Lower-Brules the chief speaker
was Big-Mane. He shrewdly illustrat
ed how congress ratifieS a treaty and
then passes law multiplying it, by lay
ing down one match on the commits
stoner's table and putting another on
top Of 1t, saying that he stood on the
lower match and wanted to find If there
were not some way of lifting the upper
match off.
He gave another object lesson in the
poverty Of the Indians by saying that
when he saw something in store he
wanted to buy he put his hand into
his pocket for the money. but always
with one result. and with that he turn
ed his pocket wrong side out, showing
nothing in it but a few scraps Of pa
per and wood. and yet the government
was owing the Indians money. He
wished the commissioner would let
some of this money out.
Martin-Lee, Swift Hawk, Louis De-
witt, John Desmet and Alexander Rem
countTe followed for the lower Brules,
mostly seeming willing to make terms
of some sort; but Dewitt declared that
the band he represented was not willing
to do anything which would take from
them single acre of their lands.
The commissioner assured the Indians
that he would do the best he could to
bring about a satisfactory arrange
ment