Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-10-06
CREES WILL
LEAVE STATE
CHIEF LITTLE BEAR CALLS ON
THEM TO RETURN TO
CANADA.

Great Falls, Oct. 4.-The Crees will
go. Little Bear, their chief, has spok-
en-, and he declares that before one
moon shall have passed, he and his
followers will be en- route to their
native land, there to abide forever
more.
The chief is in receipt of a letter
from the Canadian commissioner OF
Indian affairs, at Ottawa, inviting him
and his people to return to Canada,
with all their belongings, which will
be admitted duty free. The Commits
sioner promises that none of the Crees
shall be punished for any violation of
the laws they may have committed,
and that they will be allotted lands
within the boundaries of the Onion
lake reservation. The only condition
is that all able-bodied bucks shall en-
gage in some work, preferably farm
ing, and with the prospects of a hard
winter and poor range confronting
them, Little Bear and his people have
agreed to this condition.
Little Bear hopes that the exodus
may be begun by the last of this
month. He is sending letters to his
people all over Montana, calling them
to meet him at Havre. telling them
OF the agreement he has made and
insisting that they must abide by it..
he anticipates that some OF his tribe
will not be tavorably impressed with
the arrangement but he declares that
he can maintain discipline and that
he will take with him to Canada ali
of his people who receive his commun-
ioation.
He estimates the number of his fol-
lowers in Montana at about 300 They
are scattered all over northern Mon
tana, largely in Fergus and Chouteau
counties. Many are on the Crow res
ovation and others on the t'lathead
reservation, and not few are at pres.
ent in the vicinity of Great Falls, en-
route TO Havre, in obedience to the
mandate of their chief. There are
many half breed Crees over the state
some of whom do not admit allegiance
to Little Bear A few of them have
established homes and are able to live
in comfort, but even few of then
have the longing for their native land
and back across the line they will 90
Little Bear has surrendered. His
heart is broken. Ever since the RE
rebellion, when the CreeS fed from
the northwest territories of Canada
fearing that the government Woulc
infict upon them the death penalty
that was visited upon Riel, Chief Little
Bear has bitterly hated the govern
ment OF Canada and has strenuOusl.
resisted every effort made to secure
his return TO that country. A few
years ago, the soldiers at Fort AS
sinniboine rounded up Little Bear AM
all of his people in northern Mon
tana and herded them at Great Falls
under orders to return them to Can
ada. They bitterly resisted the move
ment. but the courts ruled aealn>
them, and they We're deported.
SO intense was their feeling at tina
time that a squaW committed suicide
while under guard here, throwing hen
self under an engine, rather than 9
back to Canada. A few days ate
they had been landed in Canada, lie
began returning to Montana, and III
Canadians could not hold them Q
late years they have been as numel
OuS iclc do tHtN we've DtiOIc INC VT
LOItariOn, and more bitter than ev
before has been Little Bear in his a
titude toward the Canadian govern
ment. Little Bear is a son of Bi
Bear who was an idOlized chief c
the Crees and he has been as popl
lar and as powerful as was his fttt
er. His hatred of Canada has bee
shared by all his people
But the last two or three years HAY
been hard ones for the Indians. The
have nearly starved at many time
There is no game for them, and the
have been prevented from carryin
arms when near town. The drOu9l
has been bad for them. Many of the
horses have died and the outlook
very bad for them. Little Bear hf
Succumbed, not 10 man, but to natur
and in a few weeks he and his fOlON
erS will be across the line, prObab
never again to modest the people
Montana. Arms and diplomacy cOu
not conquer them, but drought al
barbed wire have done the work.
Sick headache is caused by a di