The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-03-13
INDIAN CHIEFS POWERLESS
GOI ERIN WENT mas SHORN TBIu
az All Authority
I.ast stand Was Made oa Sne RsseSua
Reservation Against Agent hrilS
sslSeaWay Feast tbe OccasioO
Threat 10 nam Followed by a Raid

LINCOLN. veb.. March a very feehl.
imitation Of the real thing II Oh" Indian
chief oT to-day. The regulations n ld the
rations OF Uncle Sam have roblc'i him
Of his old time mower That power ha
!ts origin in the tribal relations, and wit.
these in the process OF dissolution nd'r
the stringent rules 70 the Indian bur"a
a mysterious chief in war paint, wa
bonnet and eagle feathers lacks the col.
authority by which he once ruled.
Roth in literature and in fact the S,ouN
Indian of the Northwest typified the
aavageTy and cruelty Of the RET rac".
hut even the proud Sioux chieftain ha-
lost his power to command. Red Cloud
who died a few weeks ago, was the la,i
chief who had left o. him even the shade"
II The old authority.
Years ago. when the Government mai"
treaties with the Sioux and undertook
TO support them. il tried tn make IL clear
that ia recognized no right on the part
81 a chief thereafter TO sign anything
for his tribe simply uecAuse ne was a
chief. The rule OF the Government wa
TO deal with the individuals. and only
those properly delegated "a represent
these individuals were recognized
But the old habits were not easily
broken, and il has only been recently
that the Indian chiefs have actually been
out of Jobs The reverence OF the In
dams for odd age and for the old heads
that led in the old days forced an acknowl-
edgment more or less open. In truth.
however. the real chiefs OF th. tril'e~
OF the plains are TIE Indian agents. the
representatives OF the Government.
They are the autocrats-in some cases
the deNpO's- and their rule has teeh
more efective than that OF any OF their
copper Colored predecessors.
The last stand Ut the old chiefs took
placs not long ago on the Rosebud reset
walton. Major Kelly. the agent. had
given permission for the reunion. but on
the express agreement that there should
DO no renewal OF old customs, such -
the sun dance and the give away oere-
mony. Five thousand gathered. the chiefs
In paint and feathers and riding boldly
about on their ponies.
A far back as history records the
Western Indians have held annual glv"
away Affairs. This has been repeatedly
forbidden by the Government because
generosity docs not exist in equal prOpot
tons, and the more generous Often had
20 lie rsclothed and newly equipped hy
the Government after the ceremony
Clothing. wagons, horses. even wives
were often freely parted with m IN" eN-
citement of the feast. Major Kelly did,
covered the second afternoon several
acres Of ground covered with heap-d uD
clothing. saddlery, beads and around
them ponies and wagons. He sent word
by the Indian police that u must stop
The chiefs gathered their people aAout
them. harangu-d them and worked the
crowd into a furious rage. Word came -
Kelly that they intended 20 Kill him. Hs
sent a nessenger To tell them that IN ten
minutes the Indian police would he there
To arrest every chbef.
Kelly kept his word. IN ten minutes
a squad Of armed Indians. proud OF tn
strips and Of their sccoutrement-
dashed toward the scene The chi ~
waited but a moment. then piled upon
ponies and into wagons and TOOK 10 tn
hills That vas the last stand OF tribal
power against Federal power.
Although the chiefs have lost rletr
out against Government orders They
oh iect to the younger generation learning
to work and they do as little IT 70 A. thew
can The agent furnishes Thorn WITH
horses and agricultural implements 80
work their land with. hut their ehOrt-
at crop raising are often humorous and
pathetic.
About tho only remnant ~ self govern
ment left outside th. Omaha aud WHINE
haRu reservation. where the reds are All
vanced much further han the SIOUX. ar"
this, Indian cOurts One ~ main tanned 10
the Pine Ridge agency. where gambling.
assault and petty thieVery cases are al
Indicated hut the Indian agent " 10"
court Of appeals and Re doeSn't have Co
give any reasons for his decisions