The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-27
ON war PAINT
ARE GETTING INSOLENT
white Men Are Moving Thsir Wives
to Places OF eafsty-They Have
Grievances Which They

Graf Falls, Nov. 2s.-For some time
there have been umo that the In
dams on the Blackfeet reservation were
When the troops were sent from Fort
Assinniboine Il the front those who
knew the Indian by long. personal ex-
p~erience prophecied that he would not
long remain quiet when the restrain
ing influence of soldiers near at hand
and already to o on 20 minutes no.
tice, was removed. That prophecy Is
now likely to prove at any minute
The reports which have come from the
north in the past two days are unani-
nous and all are to the effect that there
is trouble brewing. The Indians have
become saucy and insolent: they gath
er about their chiefs. Little Plume.
White Calf, Big Brave and u Shoe
and the rest; much medicine Is being
made. Those white men who live on
or near the reservation say that the
Indians are growing sulky and the
white men who are wise are preparing
to move their wives and children In
TO places Of safety.
This Is not mere talk. as II comes
from men who lived with the Indians
for a lifetime; 1t m from half
breeds and 1t comes from the more
friendly of the Indians themselves.
Cour.ers have been passing down the
line from Blackfoot to Fort Belknap
and when the fatal day comes IL will
see the uprising, not of a few Black
feet, but of all the Indians along the
northern boundary.
on Fourth of July. 1897, the Indians
at Blackfoot held a big Sun dance. The
children had just been released from
their schools. Many of the Indians on
the reservation had been at Carlisle.
some had even graduated from that in
stitution. But regardless of education
or anything else in one day all signs
of civilization were swept away and ali,
Carlisle graduates with the rest. APP
peared with the breech-clout and the
war paint on their Cheeks. They Joined
in the dance and the sensuous influence
of that religious ceremony renewed the
old traditions and customs n in a few
hours transformed them to the savage.
That influence has not wholly disaD-
peared. There has been a good deal OF
monkeying in the affairs of the reser-
walton. One agent was removed a short
time after the dance. although he had
served but "a few months. The one
who is now In charge of the reservation
Is capable and efficient, but he is come
at a critical moment. The beef con
tracts were let in a peculiar fashion, the
white contractors outwitting their
darker skinned brethren. Legally, of
course. but the indian does not take
that into consideration when reckoning
up his wrongs He now says that his
white brother has the contract for fur
nishing beef to the reservation during
the summer months when the cattle are
fat and beef is consequently cheap.
while ne has to be content with the
winter months when cattle are both
lean n hard to find. This is not the
fault of the agent. Captain Fuller. but
the Indians charge ii up to him in gen.
eral with the other whites. This seems
TO be the situation. The Indians ave
been nurturing a grudge against the
white man for a long time. Their res
ervation has been in part thrown open
10 the whites and possibly the supply
OF whiskey has been increased. There
has been a number of malcontents who
have improved the occasion. The re-
straint caused by the presence of white
troops has been removed and the In
dams know thai even the militia has
been sent to war. 1t needs only a lit
tie quarrel between one white man n
n red man to precipitate n bloody
strife. which will involve thousands
and this is the report which m not
from one man alone. but from a dozen.