K34 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [eth.ann.H 



inexperienced. Many of the tribes became rearmed and remounted. They claimed 

 that the government had not fulfilled its treaties and had failed to make large enough 

 appropriations for their support; that they had suffered for want of food, and the 

 evidence of this is beyond question and sufficient to satisfy any unprejudiced intelli- 

 gent mind. The statements of officers, inspectors, both of the military and the 

 Interior departments, of agents, of missionaries, and civilians familiar with their con- 

 dition, leave no room for reasonable doubt that this was one of the principal causes. 

 While statements may be made as to the amount of money that has been expended 

 by the government to feed the different tribes, the manner of distributing those 

 appropriations will furnish oue reason for the. deficit. 



The unfortunate failure of the crops in the plains country during the years of 1889 

 ami 1890 added to the distress and suffering of the Indians, and it was possible for 

 them to raise but very little from the ground for self-support; in fact, white settlers 

 have been most unfortunate, and their losses have been serious and universal 

 throughout a large section of that country. They have struggled on from year to 



year; occasionally they would raise good crops, which they weir c polled to sell at 



low prices, while in the season of drought their labor was almost entirely lost. 

 So serious have been their misfortunes that thousands have left that country within 

 the last few years, passing over the mountains to the Pacific slope or returning to 

 tin- east of the Missouri or the Mississippi. 



The Indians, however, could not migrate from one part of the United States to 

 another; neither could they obtain employment as readily as white people, either 

 upon or beyond the Indian reservations. They must remain in comparative idleness 

 and accept the results of the drought— an insufficient supply of food. This created a 

 feeling of discontent even among the loyal and well disposed and added to the feeling 

 of hostility of the element opposed to every process of civilization. 



Reports forwarded by Brigadier-General Ruger, commanding Department of 

 Dakota, contained the following: 



The commanding officer at Fort Yates, North Dakota, under date of December 7, 

 1890, at the time the Messiah delusion was approaching a climax, says, in reference 

 to the disaffection of the Sioux Indians at standing Rock agency, that it is due to 

 the following causes: 



(1) Failure of the government to establish an equitable southern boundary of the 

 Standing Kock agency reservation. 



(2) Failure of the government to expend a, just proportion of the money received 

 from the Chicago, Milwaukee aud St. Paul railroad company, for right of way privi- 

 leges, for the benefit of the Indians of said agency. Official notice was received 

 October is, 1881', by the Indian agent at the Standing Kock agency, that the said 

 railroad company had paid the government under its agreement with the Sioux 

 Indians, for right of way privileges, the sum of $13,911. What additional payments, 

 if any, have been made by the said railroad company, and what payments have been 

 made by the Dakota Central railroad company, the records of the agency do not 

 show. In 1883, and again in 1885, the agent, upon complaints made by the Indians, 

 wrote to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, making certain recommendations as 

 regards the expenditure of the money received from the said railroad company, 

 but was in each instance informed that until Congress took action with respect 

 to the funds referred to nothing could bedone. No portion of the money had been 

 expended up to that time (December, 1890) for the benefit of the Indians of 

 the agency, and frequenl complaints had been made to the agent by the Indians 

 because they had received no benefits from their concessions to the said railroad 

 companies. 



3 Cailure of the government to issue the certificates of title to allotments, as 

 required by article 6 of the treaty id' 1868. 



(1) Failure id' the government to provide the full allowance of seeds and agricul- 

 tural implements to Indians engaged in farming, as required in article s, treaty of 

 L868. 



