The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-04-10
VANISHING HERDS
TO Be RESTORED
American Bison Association to
Reclaim the Bufalo's Lost
Inheritance.
UNCLE SANS AID is ASKED

Washington, Special: AT tn" White
House the other day there WAS Il con-
ference, and in the course OF Il there
was nothing to be heard about cur
rency. tariff. anti-injunction measures.
employers liability bills. or about any
of the half hundred things which ie-
Gently have had a large place In the
attention of people and President Theo-
dore Roosevelt was talking 10 William
L. Hornaday about ways ard means
to make certain the future existence
of the American bison. ordinarily and
improperly called the American buffalo
No one will make a mistake If he
holds that the president Was pleased
at the opportunity to get away Tempo
rarily from matters Very likely mole
important, but certainly less interesting
to the chief executive than is the qGes-
ton Of saving the remnant OF a tribe
bers by the millions.
William Il. Hornaday is the director
of the Bronx Geological Park In New
York city. He is also the president Of
the American Bison association. which
has for its object the preservation OF
the animal whose name is carried in
Its title. There are butfalo-tlle error
form is the EASTERN nearly all OF tina
ZOOS OF the country. but the lives OF
the confined animals are at best pre-
c%arious, and no one knows when acct
dent or disease may wipe the captivns
out OF existence. MIR. Hornaday de-
slres That the government ranges be
provided for a herd of buffalo in the
Northwestern country, where they may
live In large measure as they lived
when their only enemies We're ne red
men and the wolf. the condition OF life
that made for longevity and for in
crease.
canada's Sharp Bargain.
A Flathead Indian named i'aiNo. liv-
ing in Montana, had in his possession Il
few years ago a herd of $50 butialoes.
The Canadian government learned OF
the existence of the herd and bought
it from the Flathead chief--it is Thought
he is q chief-Who was tempted by the
offer because of its seeming generosity.
and because probably he did not know
the full value of the buffalo in this ;lay
of their scarcity.
The Canadians took about half The.
herd, divided the half into two parts
and turned the animals loose on ranges
on the other side of the border. where
it is said they are thriving. The re-
naming buffalo includes in the pllr-
chase are. 1t is assumed, to be carried
into Canada, there to be given their
freedom with fence limitations. II is
understood, however, hat Pablo will
have remaining in his possession about
80 of the animals, the increase since he
agreed to sell his herd, added to some
ANIMALS that he has picked up re-
Gently. 1t is the hope OF MIR. Hornaday
and his associates of the American
Bison society to buy the animals that
Pablo now owns and to turn them
loose on the Flathead reservation.
The help of the president and con-
gress is needed to accomplish the end
In View. Senator Dixon. of Montana.
will introduce a bill to set aside on the
reservation a tract of land containing
20 quare miles. The Flathead land
holdings are soon to be opened to set
Element. and the Ian that the govern
ment is asked to reserve as a bison
range is almost totally unfit for agri-
cultural purposes. In other words, it
is practically waste land. 1t is Mr..
Hornaday's belief. and he is one of the
best-informed men In the world on the
habits of the greater animals, that the
buffalo on the wide range given over
to them will double their numbers i'm
rhree or four years. and that the cues
ton of the preservation OF an animal
which supposedly had been doomed
for extinction will be answered.
1t is the intention. il congress passes
the legislation necessary. to fence in
the range and to leave the buffalo tn
themselves. There is an abundance Of
bunch grass. upon which the animals
thrive. there is timber enough for shell
ter under certain weather conditions.
and there are ravines which will afford
perfect protection in the hard times of
winter. Running water from an nm
failing source OF supply Is to be found
AT several places on the land which it
Is proposed to set aside. The NATURAL
lists of the country. among them men
who have made the bison a special
study. are a unit in declaring that the
problem of preservation is to be solved
only by giving the animal the freedom
of range, the food and the surround
ings whidh were natural to their am
cestors In the lays before the white
man began his war of determination.
oklahoma's Protected Herd.
A year ago congress voted an APP
preparation Of money for the fencing
in of a bison preserve in Oklahoma
Flfteen or the animals We're turned
loose in the preserve. and they are in
creasing in number and are thriving
physically. Tn range is known as tina
Wichita. Preserve, and 1t is situated
in the heart of a country where once
vast herds of buffalo roamed at their
When the American Bison society
was formed the herd of $50 animals
which has been sold to the Canadian
government, was still in possession OF
Pablo the Flathead Indian. The sale
OF the herd to the Canadian govern
$500 DSIOfR
the American Bison society had adopt-
ed Its constitution or was prepared to
begin its work. The Western news
papers criticized the organization Sc
verely for allowing the Canadian gov
m TO forestall it in the purchase
OF the Pablo holdings. The criticism
vas severe. but absolutely undeseryed
for the society was not In condition IN
do any active work, nor had 1t at that
time either the influence or the money
necessary to do what the members
wanted to do. II the government will
give its aid at the present time. how.
ever, 1t is a safe assumption that the
American bison will not be allowed 10
perish from the earth.
Most people do not know that there
is still in existence a herd of wild bison
Little is known concerning it save the
fact OF Its existence. How many ami
mails there are and what their CHANGES
or continued existence are nay be put
at best as mere matters of guess
ing. Up somewhere in the northern,