840 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [eth.ann.14 



these two parties have been divided. The nonprogressive started the ghost dance to 

 draw from us. We were made many promises, but have never heard from them since. 

 The < ireat Father says if we do what he directs it will be to our benefit; but instead 

 of this they are every year cutting down our rations, and we do not get enough to 

 keep us from suffering. General Crook talked nice to us; and after we signed the 

 bill they took our land and cut down our allowance of food. The commission made 

 us believe that we would get full sacks if we signed the bill, but instead of that our 

 sacks are empty. We lost considerable property by being here with the commission- 

 ers last, year, and have never got anything for it. < >ur chickens were all stolen, our 

 cattle some of them were killed, our crops were entirely lost by us being absent 

 here with the Sioux commission, and we have never been benefited one bit by the 

 bill; and, iu fact, we are worse off than we wire before we signed the bill. We 

 are told if we do as white men we will be better off, but we are getting worse oil 

 every year. 



"The commissioners promised the Indians living on Black Pipe and Pass creeks 

 that if they signed the bill they could remain where they were and draw their 

 rations at this agency, showing them on the map the line, and our people want them 

 here, but they have been ordered to move back to Rosebud agency. This is one of 

 the broken promises. The commission promised to survey the boundary line, and 

 appropriate $1,000 for the purpose, but it has not been done. When we were at 

 Washington, the President, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Commissioner all 

 promised us that we would git the million pounds of beef that were taken from us, 

 and I heaid the bill appropriating the money passed Congress, but we never cot the 

 beef. The Commissioner refused to give it tons. American Horse, Fast Thunder, 

 and Spotted Horse were all promised a spring wagon each, but they have never 

 heard anything of it. This is another broken promise." 



In forwarding the report of the council, the agent says: "After American Horse 

 was through talking, I asked the other men present if his statement voiced their 

 sentiments and they all answered. Yes." 



STATEMENT OF BISHOP HARE 



[Bishop W. II Hare i* the veteran Episcopal missionary bishop among the Sioux. The following 

 extracts are from " communication by him t*> Secretary Voble, dated January 7, 1891. G. 1>. Doc. 

 S440—1891.] 



The evidence compels the conclusion that, among the Pine Ridge Indians at least, 

 hunger lias been animportant clement in the causes of discontent and insubordination. 

 In the farming season of 1889 [duly] the Indians were all called into the agency and 

 kept there for a month by the Sioux commission. During their absence their cattle 

 broke into their fields and trod down, orate up, their crops. The Indians reaped 

 practically nothing. In the year 1890, drought, the worst known for many years, 

 afflicted the western part of South Dakota, ami the Indian crops were a total failure. 

 There is ample evidence that, during this period, the rations issued lasted, even 

 when carefulh used, for only two-thirds the time I'm which they were intended. To 

 add to their distress, this period, 1889 and 1890, was marked by extraordinary mis- 

 fortune. The measles prevailed with great virulence in 1889, the grippe in 1890, 

 Whooping cough also attacked the children, 'fhc sick died from want. In this 

 statement Inspector Gardiner, Dr McGillyeuddy, late agent, .Miss Elaine Goodale, \\ bo 



has been in the camps a ". 1 deal, the missionary force, and many others whose 



testimony is of the highest value because of their character ami their knowledge of 

 the situation, all agree. 



The time seemed now to have come to take a further step ami divide the Greal 

 Sioux reservation up into separate reserves tor each important tribe, and to open the 

 surplus land to settlement . The needs of the white population, with their business 

 ami railroads, ami the welfare of the Indians, seemed alike to demand this. Com- 

 missioners were therefore sent out to treat with the people for the accomplishment 



