The Spartans of the West 57 



There never yet was an Indian war but was begun by the 

 whites violating their solemn treaties, encroaching on the 

 Indians' lands, steaHng the Indians' property or murdering 

 their people. 



There never yet was a successful campaign of whites 

 against Indians except when the whites had other Indians 

 to scout, lead and guide them; otherwise the Redmen were 

 too clever for the whites. 



There never yet was a successful war of whites against 

 Indians except when the whites were in overwhelming 

 numbers,with superior equipments and unlimited resources. 



There cannot be the slightest doubt that the Indian was 

 crushed only by force of superior numbers. And had the 

 tribes been united even, they might possibly have owned 

 America to-day. 



Finally, a famous Indian fighter of the most desperate 

 period thus summarizes the situation and the character of 

 the dispossessed: 



"History can show no parallel to the heroism and fortitude of 

 the American Indians in the two hundred years' fight during 

 which they contested inch by inch the possession of their coun- 

 try against a foe infinitely better equipped, with inexhaustible 

 resources, and in overwhelming numbers. Had they even been 

 equal in numbers, history might have had a very different story 

 to tell. " (Gen. Nelson A. Miles, U. S. A., Letter, February i6, 

 1912.) 



I never yet knew a man who studied the Indians or lived 

 among them, without becoming their warm friend and 

 ardent admirer. Professor C. A. Nichols, of the South- 

 western University, a deep student of Indian life, said to 

 me, sadly, one day last autumn: "I am afraid we have 

 stamped out a system that was producing men who, taken 

 all around, were better than ourselves. " 



