Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-16
REDSKIN NATUR E.
c,uppEwA OUTBREAK SHOWS
vu,T INDIAN FRIENDLINEss rs.
FACTS ABOUT THE FIGHTING TRIBE.
o o,i, one That Has Retained Its
original Territory since the White
alan came To Acknowledgements
,,or. of the Chippcwas.
dor the Dlspatch)


The tendency OF the Indian without a |
,,oments warning TO throw Off the gar |
,,,nts OF civilization. after years OF quiet |
,,,sccful farmlife. and put on the war
INT preliminary to a savage attack on
sie former white friends. is n psycholo- |
...,sl puzzle. IL seems that with the In.
Atom there is only single step between
,-iendship and murder. The transforms
,f,n from lamb to lion takes places with
s,ch incomprehensibie suddenness that
,bo closest students of the North Ameri-
Oh, Indians character have been unable
O., explain this popularity. Why should
tho chippewa Indians, who were a few
5avs prior 20 the recent murderous out
break as quiet and law-respecting as
any white citizens suddenly fling off their
n.retccnth-century clothing. and with
t-srdished tomahawks and flendish yels
dance the ghost dance that precedes an
attack on the settlers and a slaughter
OF the innocents?
The answer to the question that has
been given up by so many students OF
human nature is that the redman has an
N.ffNtAfN ul~ilht 10 SUUNlls lllS Attl41lf1F
on the surface He is stole. To repress
his real sentiments is a national instinct
with the Indian. The whites. careless in
tneir strength. go about their daily work
and know nothing OF the smouldering
Volcano around them. The Indians lOcG
no their grievances in their own breasts
nursing them in secret, and brOOdinS
over their wrongs until. with a fash.
the spark leaps into fame and the peace
fgl rodman relapses in an instant to the
fendlsh barbarism of his forefathers.
After that the nearest troops cannot be
gotten 10 the Indians territory too QUICK
lv IL lives are 10 be saved.
The Chippewas had their grievances be
fore the outbreak. IT was no great mat
ter from a white mans standpoint, bat
generally speaking, the redmen are chill
dren.
A United States Deputy Marshal had
made an arrest on a warrant. something
that stirs 10 the depth the resentment
OF the Indian, who regards the depriva-
ton OF liberty as the greatest intliction
that can be placed upon him. An Indian
confined for a very short term of inn
prisonment will pine and die. They cam
not live shut up in a cell. The sunshine
and the free air are absolutely neces-
sarv to their existence. When, therefore,
The Marshal came and secured his pri-
soner his Indian relatives attacked the
officer and forcibly obtained his release.
This could not be allowed to pass I'M
needed. so United States soldiers were
sent 90 teach the Indians that Federal
laws must be respected. The INDIANS
gathered TO defend their principles, ana
the fatal fight followed.
The tribe is one of the nOblest I'm the
land. The Chippewas belong to the Al
ronauin family. whose territory extended
from the Mississippi TO east Of the great
lakes On the east the ChippeWas had
Tor neighbors I'm the old days the lro-
ouois. while west and southwest the
sioux claimed the hunting grounds
They were both sworn foes 10 the emp
pewas The battles between the Cnippe-
was on the one side and the Iroquols ano
Sioux on the other are uncouhlapie
Fights were as common as buifalo hunts
md whenever two braves of the warrine
tribes met It was one mans scalp or the
others.
The Chippewas usually had the best o
tta hshting. for they were then, ana ar
now. a brave and hardy race. one re
r.rkable thing about the tribe Is, that !
SIN occupies the same territory as III IN
DAVIS before the white man oVerran IN
west. other tribes have been driNeh I,oH
+heir original territory, but the Cdlp
..,.os are on the old place still. IN
iar,icular tribe with which the prescn
r,tbraak originated numbered l,l53 Wne
+bev were last counted, III 1891. n
whole tribe numbered IT tEat time ''o'l
There were 1123 Of the ChlppeWas Il
Lake Ieech in 1890. $50 OF TINS numDe
beiDg males. and 324 above the age Oh Z
In addition to these the Cass Lake dl
the Winnebegoshist reservations hdu 90
ord otter Tail 6S2. The land owned %
Tho hand who have Just leen deIyn
United States troops comprises 4l4'4'
acres and $50 of these acres are unde
cultivation by the Indians. Inc trlD
raises annually coo bushels or corn IL
bushels of vegetables, and $50 tons Q
hay The annual revenue OF the lhuldh
rom the sale of this farm produce
1880. 49,. ,,o,,or-
According TO the returns of the govern
,,c,t AGENTS. G. 400 Indians were living o
tbo reservation in 1890, OF when A."
vvoro American clothes, l,OJO coulo rea'
600 were Church members. III VIII l
eocr therefore how highly clVlhzeu u
tribe has become. and how imposslDie
is 10 RELY upon these civihZinS asehcie'
change the nature Of the redfnah.
II was the Chippewa tribe WIN VIM
tho commission, appointed IN 1oo', ~
eotiated regarding the acceptance ol "
iotments in severalty. The INDIANS Az :.
IA the terms of the commission u
nothing has been done about II since,
~eolcct that has had its share In souri,
the Chippewas' friendship TOT INC
man. +, .ho hrea,
There is a great fondness In the Drea'