The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1936-11-06

II the &0OSt OF EAcuty NV0PO
cent Indian fair held ct Hardin ON
the Crow reservation under the d.
rection Of Robert Yell0Wtail, n
dian agent there and himself .
member Of the Crow tribe, at least
the influence Of that noted old In
dian chief must have been felt.
the most successful and largely at
tended Of all which have preceded
it, is the Outgrowth Of the Grow
Indian fair established in the early
part Of the present century by Maj.
s. e. Reynolds, then Indian agent,
and which had the hearty support
and cooperation Of Plenty COupS.
exhibitors at the first fair. His efforts,
coupled with those Of Major Reynolds,
created considerable rivalry among
the Indians of the different. districts
Of the reservation, notably Pryor and
Reno, where Two Leggins, another
Crow head man, lived. Plenty Coups
himself led in the number OF prizes
One year, however, the Crow Indians
had much sport over the fact that a
woman proved a better prize winner
Yellowtail this year made of the
Crow Indian fair a huge agricultural
anu uVGSLOCh cApOo1t1OA1, S1QCASA4JCO
with rodeo sports and races and a
gathering of Indian tribes from sew
eral states. The Grow fair has become
q tradition and interest in 1t lives from
year to year, not only among the In
dams of the reservation where there
are many fine irrigated farms, excellent
stock ranches, comfortable homes n
good schools, but among the residents
Of the surrounding country for many
hundreds of miles who annually at
tend, and to hundreds of tourists who
time their travels to be among those
present.
There they see the modern Indian
who has adopted the white mans
and buckskin leggings among the old
er a%borigineS to suggest how an n
dian looked and how he lived, so years
ago.
Plenty Coups vas always the. white
mans friend, because he could see
down the years and visualize the in
flux of these strangers l numbers with
which the Indian could not hope to
cope. He sensed the changes their com
ing was bound to bring. He was a diplo-
mat, q s~trategiSt and a statesman, and
his abilities in all Of those lines were
extended to obtain for his people as
strong q footing and as good a start
sible, that they might be in position to
hold their own during the years to
come.
Forfeited Tribes Confidence
Because Of Plenty Coups' attitude
toward the whites, he lost for a time
much of his authority among the
Crows, the majority of whom for many
years were reluctant to practice the
white mans ways Of farming. Many,
instead, chose to follow the chiefs who
were still leading horse stealing raids
and war parties against the northern
tribes.
During 1887 when many disgruntled
warriors under Chief Swordbearer were
causing trouble, Plenty Coups took no
part in the demonstrations. He spent a
prolonged period in the mountains in
mourning for a wife. When he came to
the agency, sent for by military author
tiles, he threw his influence toward the
side of peace. This, also, weakened his
influence among a portion Of the tribe.
Plenty Coups was born in the Crazy
mountains in 1847. Although the son Of
q chief, he won his way through the
rank Of warrior up to the position of
a chief, through merit and valor, by
counting coups on the tribal enemies,
the Sioux, Blackfeet, Piegans and Chey-
ennes, and by success in leading horse
stealing bands through hostile lines
and by other unusual feats Of bravery.