The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-08
Interesting Discussion Presented in Letters
Passing Between Local Author and ~ Y Critic

:
The eastern press generally ac-
corded Soldiers Of the Plains = very
favorable reception. The Outlook
New York;. however, was not dis
posed to look with favor on the red
man. Its reviewer insisted that the
Indian had no right or title; that
the Sioux, in particular, failed to OBJ
serve their treaties with other
tribes; that the Indian was not to be
taken seriously as soldier; and
finally, that the book was over
laudatory Of the Indian and unjustly
censorious Of Custer.
An interesting correspondence fol.
lpwed.
The Outlook reviewer, Mr.. W. J.
Client, is a writer and an author of
Hational prominence. For time
Vl91l.l2) he was secretary to Con.
gresham Victor L. Berger (Wiscon.
son. In 19l5-l7 he was editor Of
the California Outlook. He is the
author Of Our Benevolent Feudalism
t!902), Mass and Class $500, So
ciatism and Success (l91O) and edi.
. tor OF Appeal Socialist Classics
Bismarck, North Dakota,
October IL, 1925.
The Editor, Outlook Magazine, New
York City:
Dear Sir:
| have read with interest the re-
view of soldiers Of the Plains in your
issue of September goth.
l am sure you desire to do justice
to the Indian, and it is because the
review includes a number of state
msnts which seem unfair to the red
man that ! venture to offer a few
words in explanation.
~ Treaty-breaking among the
Andian tribes may be admitted; but
SO, also, may the admission be allow
ed that treaty-breaking and conquest,
TO some extent, have marked the pro.
gross Of civilization from the begin
ming. Yet who shall say that we thus
acquire . special right, or any right,
TO break treaties? One may say Of
the Indians that they were just lot
OF savages with no legitimate basis
of ownership. 1t is very easy to make
such statements. Nevertheless, we
cannot, in conscience, ignore the fact
that, whatever the Indians title, we
recognized it as a good title when we
entered into treaties with him.
Indian Not . Soldier
CD Your reviewer says the In
dian was a fighter but not soldier.
This seems like contradiction of
terms. If your reviewer means that
the Indian was not soldier accord
ing to the white mans standards, all
we'll and got)l; but if he means to cast
doubt and suspicion on the Indian as
n real fighter, then he must be will
n1c - CO nj es~s< nj
on the testimony Of such men as
Miles, Crook, Custer, King. Benteen,
Bourke and Cyrus Townsend Brady
to mention few outstanding au-
Shorities on the Indian soldier.
(3) The Indian wan.cd od0;. True
enough, perhaps; but does that de-
tract from his standing as fighter ?
The white man also wanted odds.
The Indian was outnumbered at the
Powder River March, 1870. at the
Rosebud (June, 1870 and in almost
all the battles fought by Joseph in
the summer and fall of 1877, yet in
the large majority of those battles
the Indian was victorious.
(D Your reviewer has accepted
without question the conclusion, Who'll.
ly unwarranted. that the Indian gen.
orally was better armed than the
white soldier. He also asserts that
the Indian lacked persistence and soon
tired of a particular Job of fighting.
Custer Battle Cited
The Custer Battle is cited in illus
tration. The IndiAn did display lack
Of persistence there, it is true; but
that lack undoubtedly was imposed
ky the lack Of ammunition, very
Vital consideration, you will agree.
We should not be forgetting that
eight days previous to the Custer
fight, perhaps half the number Of
Indians engaged at the Little Big
Horn had turned back Crook with
three times the number Of men in
the Terry column coming up with
Gibbon. Why. then, should the In
dams at the Little Big Horn run from
Terry's 400 unless a shortage of am
munition had developed within the
Indian camp?
(5) The reviewer contends that the
book is overlaudatory Of the Indian
and unjustly censorious of Custer. So
little has been heard of the Indians
side in fifty years that mere state
ment of his case may seem like un-
due laudation; but the record cannot
be denied. As for Custer: The facts
aA against him-more's the pity!
Yours very truly.
p. E. BYRNE.
473 w. 158th St.,
New York City,
knn 1908