The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-08
Dancing Indians.


We are informed by the latest dis
patches last evening that a number Of
| bands of Indians are dancing up in the
north and that they seem to have a
polyglot idea that they can subdue the
earth. The people of this enlightened
age ought not to fancy anything in the
way OF dictation from these redskins
The tumble ought to come upon them
from the side of civilization, and we
ought not to be waiting to make the
demonstration.
This is the close Of the nineteenth
century. The Indian Of the seven
teenth century was not fairly dealt
with in all respects. Wherever the In
dian came from the fact is certain that
he sprang from very bad vein in
humanity. Wolves and Indians are
hard things to deal with, and both
sometimes so hungry. The Indian Of
ten goes hungry because of the in
famous policy that has been pursued
against him by the government in it's
pretensions, and the fraud practiced
upon him on account of his ignorance.
Let us say this much for the Indian.
which comes into play in dealing with
matters of this sort, and that INTELLECT
tual quantity has always been used
against the Indian. The Indian is
naturally a savage. Missionary con-
troll over him has had little effect, be-
cause he has had reason to be skeptical.
He has often been deceived. He has
had a right to be ugly. Too much
white mans intelligence.
There is only one way to deal with
the Indian, and that is to deal with
him in the right and proper Way-that
is to say, honestly, even if you have
to kill him. If you are going to
expunge something offensive from
work and eXpunge it, and use
every force that you can possibly
apply to that end. There has never
been anything demonstrated in the
character Of the Indian which entitled
him to the merit Of ordinary regard.
And the white man has deceived the
Indian from the moment that the two
races came in, contact with one another,
to his discredit be it said, and the other
has been just as guilty.
Once again the people Of this coun-
try are forced to contemplate the death
Of brave soldiers who have been driv-
en- into the Northwest to subjugate this
nasty crowd Of redskins. They may
have souls to save; it has been the
duty Of the missionaries to find their
souls, and they do not seem to have
made the discovery. When we think OF
a genial, kindly man like Maj Wilkin-
son being shot down by these wretch
ed dogs, indignation fails to find ex-
preston.
And yet what can we do but to sum
up the events that have taken place?
Where does the responsibility rest? Is
there no arm Of sufficient power to en-
circle the brave men of this country
who come UP against the Indians in
conflicts of this kind? There ought not
to be such conflicts.
Let us go right down to the core Of
the whole disturbance. The Indians
may be victims, in a certain sense. Of
the policy Of the government They
hate the white man because Of the
fact that they have a most generous
reason for hating him. Indian agents
have been the scOurge associated with
the department of the interior. Politics
and not wisdom has prevailed in deal
ing with these tribes. Death and cross
bones are the monuments Noble lives
have been lost: and still it seems to
be at the close OF the nineteenth CEN
tury the policy of the government not
to do, in the strength of it's power, that
which it should long ago have done in
dealing with them.
And now we are told that the In
dams are dancing" With the odor
Of the blood Of such men as Mai. Will
kinson in their nostri1s they are justi-
fed in dancing. But where is the pow
er of the war department being exer-
cised? Velvet chairs and their ex-
punging capacity through the mouths
Of small-sized officials will not goothe
the thoughts Of those who have lost
their support and the remembrance of
happy associations in the death of the
men who have been killed needlessly
on the shores Of Leech lake.
The Indian is an ugly devil, and no
matter how he comes by his ugliness he
ought not to be preserved to kill good
men like Maj. Wilkinson and his COM
rades.