Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-11-11
THE EARNINGS OF INDIANS.
Tho Government Pays 17B,OO0 OF Them
$1,OOO,O0O u Year.

There are about 175, 600 Indians out.
side the five civilized tribes and they
earn about 81, 600, 600 year from the
United States government alone, says
the Washington Star. OF this they re.
ceive about $3.50, 600 for products of In
dian industry. But Uncle Sam is moi
their best customer. lhcy make neur-
ly 81, ,OOO 600 II year from the sale OF
their products TO others. And they
earn great deal besides by the trans.
portation of freight and by day labor OF
various kinds. The government pays
them $3.50, 600 year for cutting and
banking logs. There is an Indian DO.
lice, which draws more than 500, 600 q
year from the public treasury. Indian
employees at agencies draw 800 600 a
year and employees at Indian schools
almost rs much. Farmers and inter.
prefers and judges of Indian courts are
The other Indians on the government
pay roll.
Who would believe an unauthorita.
tive statement that band of Indians
containing less than 1000 men and
women made $3.50, 900 in a single year
cutting and banking logsp Yet that is
what the Menomonce Indians of Wis.
consin made in 1898 and they could
have made more if the government
would have permitted them to cut MOI
timbeE Their surplus energies sough
an outlet in the cutting of waste timber
into single bolts, but this occupation was
denied them, because it was found tha,
some of them cut green timber for the
purpose, contrary to the department
regulations
The Nayajos who got their first stock
OF sheep from the Spaniards in Mexico
by appropriation, are now the owners
of ], ,250, 600 sheep and 100000 horses
and mules. The Sioux and northern
Cheyenne Indians at Pine Ridge agency,
the scene of the last Indian outbreak,
are the owners of 1891 cattle and l0,-
T74 horses and mules. Even the
Apaches at the Mescalero agency il
| New MeXico-the much-feared Apaches
the terrors of the trail, as "O,d CAP
Collier" would probably call them if HI
was writing this story-own 100 cattle
and make 75 pounds of butter durin!
gregation of Indians under government
supervision and control makes abou
100, 600 pounds of butter in Il year, owns
205, 900 cattle and hauls 25, 900, 00C
| pounds of freight in year with 800,
600 horses and mules. At the Umatilli
agency in Oregon are the great Indal
farmers. They market 600, 900 bushels
OF wheat alone every year, with n tota
male population of 50S and fema,t
population OF 6Q6. The female e.emen
must be taken into serious consideration
in an estimate of labor for the redskil
has not abandoned the idea that labo
was designed for women.
Tho New York Indians are taking w
agriculture now, having been through
farming experience. The st. Regi.
Indians, about 1000 in number, derive
revenue of $50. 900 year from tn,
sale of Indian baskets. The Indians a
the Neah Bay agency in Washington
devote themselves entirely to fishing an,
make 800, 600 year by that work. Blu
rs rule the chief revenue OF the In
dian tribes is derived from the sale O
lumber and agricultural products AM
from freighting. Much Of their produc
is sold to the government. The Sou
Indians of South Dakota sell more thar
500, 600 worth of wheat, corn, oat
and barley to the government in
| year; the Sioux of North Dakota sci
$50, 900 worth to the government. Thi
is in addition to the $4,000 worth o
produce sold to outsiders. The Mojave
Yuma and Apache Indians at the Sal
Carlos agency in Arizona sell $50, 90
worth OF goods. chiefly agricultural. t
the government and $4,000 worth tt
| outsiders.