THE TURBULENT INDIANS

Mrs. Cox Tells How They Can Be Quieted and Made Useful Citizens.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE INQUIRER: In your issue of Monday there were some remarks by Lieutenant Handford, who has had seven years' experience among the Indians, in which he advises to "Let the Indians dance if they want to." I have just returned from Pine Ridge and Rose Bud, and from what I saw there know that Lieutenant Handford's views are correct. I have written in just such a strain to the department at Washington begging them to let them exhaust themselves with their dance rather than precipitate us into a fearful war by attempting to restrain them.

The Indians who are engaged in this foolish craze are at present uncontrollable; they are positively insane. So far they have not hurt any one but themselves, and I do not think they intend to. I was in these very camps, talked with them, drove miles among them and was treated with the greatest respect.

I have almost daily letters from Standing Rock, Pine Ridge or Rose Bud, and the disturbance is never mentioned. So it cannot be as bad as it is represented. At present the Indians have not one thing to do. Let every one use their influence with the authorities at Washington to induce them to give the people work and this problem that has agitated our country for so many years will be solved. The wagons, tins, etc., purchased for their use by the government could be made as well on the reservations. Let them be paid wages, as the white men, for their work.

In most parts of South Dakota the reservation lands are not fit for farming purposes - they are sand banks, and they scarcely ever have any rain. The Indian boy is quite capable of doing any kind of mechanical work. In fact, they are more apt at it than any nation I know of. With the incentive of earning wages they would soon overcome their preformed habits of idleness.

This course would save the government millions of money and make the Indians self-supporting. The present method of providing them with all the necessaries of life simply pauperizes them and prepares them for accepting any new craze that offers itself. It would be the glory of this administration if it would establish industries among them and thus end this perplexing question.

MARY McHENRY COX

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Notes and References

Courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer, 1890.11.26 The Turbulent Indians, Philadelphia Inquirer p4.pdf