The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-07-23

with the trappers. This was the
overland commerce with Santa Fe
That remote and benighted village OF
the confines of Spanish civilization
was some 1900 miles distant from
Vera Cruz, the nearest seaport
whence fabrics from the outside
world could be procured. 1t was a
matter of enormous difficulty and
expense to secure in the far west
even those common necessities of life
which could be produced by the peo-
pie themselves. The enterprising
ing enough about the geography of
the west to show him that the Mis-
souri, river was not half as far. from
Santa Fee as was Vera Cruz concluded
that here was promising business
opening.
HE tried the experiment; and al
though it was not at first successful
saw that this was due to the jeal-
suspicious of the Spanish authori-
rather than to any fault in the
mess itself. When Spanish au-
rity in Mexico was overthrown,
trade at once sprang into a flour
ng business, which was not only
fitable to the American but was
unqualified blessing to the iso-
d community of Santa Fe. The
'chandise was carried southwest
;tly in wagons, and it was in this
lie that the word caravan found
true application, for the traders
ded together in a compact organi-
on for safety and protection in
Of L,
souri,. The only great drawback
he business was the customs regu-
ons of the Mexican government;
these the shrewd trader and cor
official generally managed to
over to their mutual satisfaction
most approved method was to
one-third of the duty to the gov
ment, one-third to the official,
lie the trader retained the other
d himself. This commerce of the
tries continued down to the out
ak of the war with Mexico and
of inestimable service in that |
onflict for the reason that it had |
practically won the inhabitants of |
Iorthern Mexico to the American |
ause, or at least had made them
lot unwilling beneficiaries of the
hange produced by the war.
Spaniard and Briton
Gin those days international ques-
ions were of serious Importance in
his western country, where now we
ave scarcely ever any occasion to
ealize that there is foreign coun-
~ both north and south of us. The
raider had to contend with the jeal-
usy and intrigue of the Spaniard on
ne west and of the Briton on the
orth. Three years after the Louis
ina purchase an armed expedition
'om Santa Fe penetrated to within
so miles of where Sioux City now
.ands, and sought an alliance with
lie powerful tribe of the Pawnees in
lie valley of the Platte. To the north
lie intrigue of the British traders and
leir seditious influence upon the In-
ians were a more formidable men
&c than even the armed forces of
pain. 1t was the trader who effect
ely drove both beyond the border
Y his persistent and resolute deter
ination to enjoy the rights to which
? was entitled upon his own soil. !
long this portion of the northern 6
oundary the government experience
none of those embarrassments
hich gave it so much trouble for
any years along the great lakes. I
'In the history of the fur trade s
ere were some events of great ma y
onal significance. Ninety years ago i
,xt May (probab1y in 1922 a re-
arkable flotilla passed what is now
oux City on its slow and toilsome p
ay up the Missouri. There were s
veral boats and some 60 men in the S
petition. At the rate of IL to Is T
lies a day it worked it's weary e
urse along, en- route for the mouth e
the Columbia river on the north b
lcific coast. This was the ever-to-
remembered Historian expedition o
der Wilson Price Hunt. 1t succeed il
in planting the American flag in a
aceful occupation of the Columb ia d
Hey, while that entire region was a
t an undisturbed wilderness. 1t il
rnished to the government a golden Il
portunity, which unfortunately our y
ltesmen were not far-sighted s,
ough to improve; for had they sus-
ned this infant enterprise in its
ur of distress, as they had tacitly 8"
couraged it at the beginning, the is
tire northwest coast line of the is
nerican continent would in all M
obability now belong to the United CT
ites. RI
Early Indian War
''In 1923 occurred the first cam I'll
ign that was ever fought against Ell
y of the Mississippi Indian ii
bes, If we except some desultory ce
srations along the upper Mississip- ps
during the war of 1912. In the al
dsummer of that year the Sixth hi
,iment, under Colonel Henry Leav- VI
worth, with fleet of several keel in
ats, made its way past the place
ere Sioux City now stands 1t was
Ind for the Aricara villages, a
mt not far south of the capital of co
nth Dakota, for the purpose of te
sitting those Indians for attacking is
party of traders and killing and m
unding a large number of them. ca
2 campaign was a notable one, tic
ugh now well nigh forgotten, and TT
Of especial interest as the COM is
ncement of the military conquest ce
the west, which was completed
y in the last decade. This cam mi
gn, it will be observed, was I'M ar
taken on behalf of the fur traders. bu
o years later General Harry Atkin- m,