The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-06-14
FRIDAY, JUNE IA, 1901.
SMALLPOX AMONG INDIANS.

And now we are to be treated with
smallpox scare among the wander
ing Cree Indians who have been wont
to make their appearance in the vici-
nifty of Great Falls at stated periods.
The greatest trouble with smallpox
among these Indians is that the In
dams themselves belong to no one.
The United States has repudiated
them and the Canadian government
cannot take care of them as long as
they are on American soil. Therefore
with the smallpox in their midst it is
left for the counties where they hap
pen to be to take care of the disease
and quarantine them as we'll as they
may.
This we are afraid will prove a
hard job. 1t is hard enough to quar-
antine white people who have an I'M
derstanding of what the dread disease
means and of the necessity of remain
ing in quarantine; but to quarantine
these half-wild and wholly irresponsi-
bic Cree Indians will prove to be a
still gerater job and we doubt wheth-
er it can be accomplished without
great expense to the counties trying
it.
1t would certainly seem as though
the attorney general or the governor,
or whoever has the power, might
strain a point and have the state as
sist in quarantining these Indians. In
order to quarantine them properly it
will be necessary to place strong
guard around their camps; and such
strict quarantine is necessary not
so much for the benefit of the county
where the quarantine is established
as to prevent the disease from spread
ing throughout the state. AS the
story is told now, the disease has
broken out in band of Cree Indians
camped near Kalispell and the COVER
nor and attorney general have decid.
ed that Flathead county must bear all
the expense.
In the case of these Indians, this
does not appear to be right, and GER
tainly, as the Leader remarked above,
the governor and attorney general
ought to find some way to make the
state put up at least portion of the
expense, and the governor and other
officers should see to it not only that
the authorities of Flathead county are
recommended to quarantine these In
dians, but they should see, for the
benefit of the whole state, that it is
done properly. In the meantime the
authorities in Great Falls should
keep their eyes open and watch for
the Cree Indians who usually make
their headquarters near this city and
should take no chances, but absolute.
ly forbid them, if they come near here
from entering into the city at ALL
Leader.
Kalispell people will certainly an
preciate the neighborly sentiment ex
pressed in the above, and Flathead
county officials are not backward in
their determination to see that the
taxpayers of this county are not mulct
ed in the amount which the care OF
these Indians presages. 1t is real1,
most provoking from the fact that the
infected lodges were thrust upor
this county by the Flathead Indiar
agent, for no other apparent purpos,
than to save the general government
from the expense and annoyance O
these nomads.
But be sure that they will be quar-
antined and strictly too. The Crees
for that matter, are not nearly so will,
as the Leader seems to imagine an,
they pretty thoroughly understan,
that an officer of the law is stronge
than picket rope. Our sheriff ant
clpates no difficulty in holding tn
quarantine line intact and has in
pressed the Crees with the fact tina
the line is a dead line and not one q
them will care to venture in sight G
the picket.
The wisdom of strictly quarantinin
this bunch of Indians before they ha
chance to mingle with others q
their tribe or wander about among tn
white settlers cannot be questioned
There never was any hesitancy upo
the part of our county officials to q
once place these Indians under guar.
even before the state officials ha
been heard from. Respect for til
surrounding communities demande