Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-07-09
INDIANS TO SUPPLY THE
ARMY WITH HORSES
big Stock Farm Owned and Operated
by the Crow Indians.

hAg Stock Farm owned and Operated
by the Crow Indians.
10. the industrious Indian. is be-
Ing heard from in many fields OF en-
deavor since the government began
Its policy OF opening avenues OF use
fuiness for Its once helpless wards.
The latest phase OF the red mans In
dustrial development Ii a stock COM
pany, composed entirely of Crow Ind
ians. TO own and operate a live stock
farm on the Grow reservation in Mon
tana, chiefly for the purpose OF sup
plying the United States army with
cavalry horses.
This ID one Of the pet schemes OF
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Francis n. Leupp. and 1t has been
brought up before the senate commit
tee on Indian affairs. and fayorably
discussed. Within a year or two the
Grow reservation, one Of the largest
reservations In the country. will be
thrown open TO settlement. Several
thousand acres OF the choicest graz
Ing land will be set aside as a stock
farm. This farm will be owned and
operated entirely by Grow Indians,
stock being issued to the members
OF the tribe. The Weather Indians
may buy more stock, as they wish.
but no white man will have any share
In the company, save congressional
committee that will act az sort OF
advisory board. Buildings will be
put up, and some OF the land irrigat-
ed. and alfalfa will be raised thereon
Cor winter feeding the stock. The
rest OF the ranch will consist of graz
Ing land, than which there Ia no finer
than these southern Montana prairies,
on which the nutritious buffalo grass
grows In abundance.
WIN Help the Indians.
The object OF this stock farm will
be twe-fold. First, 1t will provide
one OF the most progressive Indian
tribes with an industry that Is bound
to be profitable. The stock company
Idea will make OF the business meth
DDS Of the white man. which are now
as n sealed book to the average red
skin. The government will profit IN
no small degree II the stock farm
comes up to expectations OF It's pro-
motors In supplying horses for use in
the United States army.
The problem Of securing remounts
for the cavalry service is growing
more serious every year. In this au-
tOmobile age horses are commanding
higher and higher prices. as fewer of
thOm are raised. Cavalry horses must
be OF a certain weight. and must not
run to ION" eolors. The Grow In
dians promise TO provide the exact
types wanted, as these Indians. more
than any other plains tribe, are nat
urally horse breeders. From earliest
days the Crows have ben celebrated
for their great herds OF ponies. Dur
Ing late years stock on the Grow res
ervation has been materially I'M
proved. The Indians have sold OF
their wild scrub" ponies and have
been raising heavier and better
blooded animals. The result IL tina,
one sees fewer pinto" ponies today
and more horses Of q heavier. rang.
Ter type. The reservation has been
a famous place In recent years for the
purchase OF polo ponies, the new
stock Of the Indians having all the re-
quirements demanded by this siren
uous game--sood wind. enduring
muscles. splendid hOof and bone quail
ity. with Just enough weight to give
stamina.
The things that are demanded Of
the polo pony are demanded Of the
cavalry horse. with. perhaps. q little