The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-01
THE BUCKS ARt KICKING
Trouble Brewing ON sthe Black
foot Reservation.
TO AN OUTBREAK
They Havs Many Compiaints-HAve Not
Yet Received Any Money for Their
Besf shipments TO chicago.
They Are Getting Ugly.

MN sN.-An ltlOAt
from h Blackfeet reservation on
tinue to point out the discomfort Of the
Indians there. Whether the discomfort
will amount to an outbreak remains TO
be seen. and much win depend on per-
sonal temperament and circumstances.
II II is In the power OF the squawmen
and the half-breeds to make trouble
they will do SO. Much of their attack
is directed against the agent. although
he probably is not more at fault than
many others. And the complaints are
almost as varied as the number and
complexion OF Uncle Sans wards on
that particular piece of ground. George
Bird Grinnel has been on the reserva-
ton for several months making a coll
lection OF the kicks of the Indians and
II is said that when he gets back to
New York he will write n book on the
subject and dedicate IL to the govern
ment, or at least the Indian depart
ment. In the meantime the festive buck
goes on kicking and IL the book Is ever
completed IL will be a serial story in
many volumes.
The principal complaints of the In
dams has been already outlined in these
dispatches. There are others. The reds
say that they have shipped a lot of
their beef stock 10 Chicago. n as yet
have never received their money for IL.
According to the red tape system OF
Uncle Sam the noble ward of the ma
ton, before he is allowed to put his cat
tie or anything else on the market. must
first get a permit from his agent. Some
of the shippers failed to do that this
fall and in consequence after the cattle
were sold about 5000 of the proceeds
We're held by h X under in
structions from Washington. The n
are still withheld and the dia kick
on that.
Another kick that the Indians make
il that the white man Is allowed to
range his big herds Of cattle on the res
ervation. This is illegal without much
doubt, but this is not the first time IL
has happened. and really II Is not much
to the detriment of the noble savage as
the occasional calf or steer which he
shoots down recompenses him for all
the feed which the cattle eat. and he
has not enough cattle of his own to be
injured. 1t Is stated, however. that all
outside cattle will be driven from the
reservation in order to satisfy h In
dams.
One further kick Is that their chill
dren must go to Fort Shaw to receive
their education. The chief bucks de-
mand hat the government build a
place on the reservation at Willow
creek, where the children may go and
learn the mechanical arts and still be
under the surveillance of their parents.
One Of the difficulties in the education
OF the Indians has always been found
in the fact that no matter how long
the may be trained when the home in
fuence Is resumed all OF the teachings
of the school are weakened. IL not en-
tirely forgot, n years of abor and
many of Uncle Sans dollars are entire
~ thrown away. The ndian on whom
the civilization of the white takes any
permanent hold Is the exception and
always will be.
The gist OF the matter lies in the
knowledge on the par of the Indian
of the entirely unprotected condition OF
the citizens OF Northern Montana. The
ndian is a savage but he Is no fool
from either his or a white mans stand
point. He knows that i'm order to OBJ
tain more "molly-coddling' from the
misguided philanthropists at Washing
ton, the best method is to get on the
warpath for a short time. II is a trife
dangerous sometimes. particularly In a
country where there are many cow
punchers, who know little and care less
about the governments indian policy
and work on the plan hat II X
about three dead Indians to square the
slaughter of one red steer. but the In
dian remembers that when the row Is
all over the supply of blankets, OF cat
tie and of beef rations will increase and
his perennial snap will be multiplied.
All OF these grounds for complaint have
existed previously; the Indian takes
notice of them merely because he
wishes to have a kick coming" n
when the proper time comes and a lit
tie fuel Is added to the present fire he
is going to do some mischief. II Is
very significant and a matter pointed
out in these dispatches at the first
that III. A. Norris. a squawman. has
filed an allotment claim on the whole of
the st. Mary's townsite and has serv-
ed notice on all residents to remove
their buildings within 80 days. under
penalty of forfeiture. He also states
that prospectors on his ground will
have to I'LL up their prospect holes.
Now, there are some white men up IN
that country who will see Norris In a
warmer climate before they will COM
ply with his demands. and there Is just
about the place where trouble viii be-
gin. One or two hot-headed prospec-
tors-and all OF the Norris relatives
in law will be out killing cattle, burn
ing ranch building. insulting or even
o~utraging white women and children.
Then the cowboys will have to get In
and settle matters while Washington
studies m red tape presidents.