The Falls City tribune., 1909-10-22
Nebraska Indians Fifty Years


was practically an Indian country.
True, the Indian title had been ex-
tinguished sometime before the
erection OF territorial governments,
in the two territories. but the Indians
were all here, none had been remoy-
ed. The policy of the government
for many years. and more especially
with reference 10 the natives beyond
the Mississippi. had been TO locate
the various tribes on small reserva-
tons of land and devote the surround
ing country to settlement by white
men. This. of course, destroyed the
hunting lands OF the red man. and
opened the way for civilization and
al that follows in its march through
the world. The effect can easily
be seen. In his original hunter ca
pacity. il Is estimated TO require
fifty thousand acres of the wild do
main for each hunter 10 support him
self and such family as those people
ordinarily had, generally not exceed
ing five, as an average. This was
not conducive to a numerous popula-
ton, as all such are limited, under
any circumstances, to the food sup
ply; and when that indispensable nee
essary was only obtainable from wild
game in the woods, or on the prairies,
by the efforts of the hunter, the com
munity that he could support in that
way, was of necessity small indeed.
On the basis of the estimate mention
ed. Richardson county, would not sup
port more than twenty-five Indians;
whereas. under the civilized rule. it
now gives support to as many thous-
ands. and is capable of supporting
double that number.
II numbers add to the enjoyment of
humanity, and the happiness of the
race. the new order is preferable to
the older one, but not otherwise. In
those older countries where the
consumers increase faster than do
the means to feed them. Nature,
which never forgives an offense
ty, evens up the score with a ia
mine. This may happen in any III
try, and will occur whenever, and
wherever those conditions exist-and
something very like it may be found
in some of the oyer-crowded cities
In our own land of plenty and waste.
II is a fact beyond dispute. that
proximately, ten thousand people die
OF starvation every year in the great
city of New York. The island on
which that modern Babylon stands,
three hundred years ago. was inhab-
tied by a small band of Indians. who
supported themselves on game from
the forests and fish from the sea, and
to whom starvation was never known.
When some philosopher shall arise
with a system hat will explain all
the conditions of life as they have
been, and 10Y are, ON a sufficiently
sensible hypothesis To make ii plain
to the ordinary understanding, that
it is better for the whole, hat a com
munity small in number, but as hap
by and |contented as the animal mar
car be in the condition in which ma
ture put him on the earth, should be
destroyed TO give place to a different
order of the same species. vast in
numbers but unequal in rights and
the means necessary To physical life
and individual comfort, in conse-
quence of which a large percentage
die every year from actual starvation,
and a larger percentage are subject
ed to a life of misery. TOO abject,
poignant and terrible to be described
in any language. the world will re-
ceiye something for which it has
been waiting since Adam exchanged
the delights of the garden for the
he'll he found ON the outside.
But as | am not attempting a
thesis on sociology, l will say no
more on the subject. The Indians
sold all their possessory rights for
money, and the small reservations
mentioned, upon which they resided,
but which. except in a very limited
degree they never cultivated.
Their support came almost entire.
ly from the government, in the shape
of annuities, paid usually twice a year
from the interest accruing ON the
money agreed TO be paid for their
land, and which was received in the
treasury of the United States. On
the western frontier, the tribes were
not entirely deprived of hunting
grounds; and until the Buffalo herds
were wiped out by advancing civil.
cation, which occurred about the end
of the decade of 1870, the Indians
along and neal the Missouri made
annual buffalo hunts on the plains to
the west, and usually returned With
-o.,r - a.. - - - : 4 l.