Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-09-09
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READERS COLUMN
coRNsRAlsING

Major Murphy has written the fol-
lowing interesting, letter to the Min
neapolis Journal: VT ROY Er
In your, editorial of Aug. II, "Agri-
culture of the Indians" you refer to
the research work among the Mid.
asia Indians of North Dakota by Rev.
DR.. Gilbert l.. Wilson of Minneapolis,
and particularly iregarding the wa.
riety of corn immemorially raised" by
those Indians. ss. taaf ~
Because the Arickaree, Mandan and
eros Ventre (Hidasta) tribes raised
corn, divine gift from Ti-ra-wa,' -
father spirit, the, Indians along the
Missouri river north of where Bis.
marck now stands undoubtedly repre-.
sented the most advanced aboriginal
civilization north of the Aztecs. e, =
Corn and the buffalo were the two
great gifts from Ti-ra-wa-but corn
was the greater. The raising of corn
(they also raisedtsquash, which was
dried and prepared for winter use)
had a distinct civilizing influence on
those Indians.
The fact that corn was successfully
raised in the region now known as
North Dakota 10 years ago, as we'll
as for centuries before, was likely
the eliminating reason why the part
Of the union embracing Idaho, Wash
ington and most of Oregon is United
States territory instead of British. In
1904 Captain Lewis of the army and
Merriweather Clark were commits.
stoned by President Jefferson to ex.
plore the Missouri river region, cross
the mountains and take possession of
that country in the name of the Unit
ed States. This expedition consist.
ing of % men left St. Louis in the
spring of 1904, but because of high
water, bad weather conditions, sick
ness and the capsizing Of the boat
containing the supplies, the expedi.
ton did not reach the point since
known as Fort Clark, about As miles
north of where Bismarck now stands,
until late in October. Now the point
is this: Only for the supplies-"7O
baskets" of corn and the pemmican
obtained from the Indians referred to
Lewis and Clark would have been
obliged to return to St. Louis to re-
new the necessary supplies in order
to continue the trip across the noun
tains. Had they done so, the explora-
ton would have been delayed two
years, and in the meantime the expe-
dition commissioned by the British
crown would have reached the terri
tory now known as Idaho, Washing
ton and Oregon first. Piloted by the
Bird Woman (Sac-a-ca-wea) and for
titled by the corn grown in North Da-
kota, the outfit crossed the mountains
and planted the Stars and Stripes.
Notwithstanding these facts, there are
people who think North Dakota is not
a corn state"
The writer had charge of the Ari-
ckaree, eros Ventre and Mandan for
four years, being commissioned by
President Harrison in May, 1889, and
therefore has some knowledge con-
corning them-their traditions, Ian
guage, agriculture, history, etc.
Those Indians were among the very
few tribes who were never at war
with the United States, but on the
contrary were always friendly and
helpful. While peace loving, they did
not neglect preparedness" and built
and lived in stockaded forts in order
to protect themselves against the
raids of the Sioux. The Arickarees
were probably the bravest and most
efficient scouts ever employed by the
army. This was Clusters tribute to
them. Nine of these scouts, including
Bloody Knife, the chief scout, were
killed with Custer at the battle OF
Little Big Horn. In this connection,