THE GEOR&E CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 741 



ibregoing roads are pouring thousands of cars loaded with cattle to furnish Eastern 

 markets with their daily supply of beef. With its narrow iron threadways, the Den- 

 ver and Rio Grande has seamed the almost vertical faces of mountain cliffs, scaled 

 their lofty summits, and made available^the wealth of Utah and Colorado. Through 

 the State of Texas the Southern Pacific, the Texas Pacific, and the International and 

 Great Northern have opened complete routes to the Pacific and into Old Mexico, 

 whilst all over the division numerous minor roads and branches are constantly pene- 

 trating what were, until recently, mysterious and almost unknown regions. 



As the railroads overtook the successive lines of isolated frontier posts, and settle- 

 ments spread out over country no longer requiring military protection, the army vacated 

 its temporary shelters and marched on into remote regions beyond, there to repeat 

 and continue its pioneer work. In rear of the advancing line of troops the primitive 

 "dug-outs" and cabins of the frontiersmen were steadily replaced by the tasteful 

 houses, thrifty farms, neat villages, and busy towns of a people who knew how best to 

 employ the vast resources of the Great West. The civilization from the Atlantic is 

 now reaching out toward that rapidly approaching it from the direction of the Pacific, 

 the long intervening strip of territory extending from the British possessions to Old 

 Mexico yearly growing narrower ; finally the dividing lines will entirely disappear 

 and the mingling settlements absorb the remnants of the once-powerful Indian na- 

 tions who fifteen years ago vainly attempted to forbid the destined progress of the age. 



When General Sheridan assumed command of the Division of the Mis- 

 souri in 1867 it then contained all the hostile Indians in the country. 

 Boaming murdering bands of wild Comanches, Cheyennes (the Bedou- 

 ins of the American Desert), Sioux, and Arapahoes marked the march 

 of western emigration with mile-posts of graves. The tribal relation 

 and separate nation treaty policy was in full force. It had failed to 

 bring the results anticipated. Within the past fifteen years the entire 

 Indian policy has been changed, the reservation system becoming the 

 approved method, and when General Sheridan ceased to command in 

 1882 there was not an Indian in armed revolt against the Government, 

 and all tribes were on reservations. 



The question of the Congressional method of treatment of the Indian 

 is another thing. The method of appropriating money as agreed and 

 for their wants, and the lack of exactness in the performance of agree- 

 ments and contracts with the Indians, and which rests with Congress, 

 is a subject that a quickened sense of justice and a manlier morality 

 will force to a proper conclusion in the near future. 



Sporadic outbreaks may be expected from time to time, but quick 

 suppression will follow. 



In Mr. Catlings time the Indian fed and clothed himself. The forest, 

 stream, and plains furnished him with covering, food, and clothes. 

 Now his dependence is the Government agent and national food, and 

 the country seems to have settled into the opinion that it is cheaper to 

 feed the Indian than to fight him ; it is not half so costly, and is more 

 humane. 



PRESENT CONDITION OF THE INDIANS. 



Mr. Catlin had a foreboding of the probable future of his red men. 

 He believed they would soon disappear, and labored to perpetuate 

 them. How true his prophecies were. 



